PAPERS: MUBARAK WINS EGYPT VOTE
President Hosni Mubarak has won a fifth six-year term in Egypt's first contested presidential election, taking more than 80 percent of the vote in a low turnout, state newspapers have said.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/09/09/...reut/index.html
His fifth term? He is in office for twenty years until there is finally an election and he wins by a landslide? This election screams of indiscretions. I'm not ruling out the possibility that he won fair and square, it just seems like he won by a rather large margin with little competition from anyone else after twenty years of rule.
EGYPT'S NOUR JAILED FOR 5 YEARS
A court sentenced leading government opponent Ayman Nour to five years' imprisonment for forgery on Saturday at the end of a year-long judicial process that has drawn international criticism and strained Egypt's relations with the United States.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/12/24...l.ap/index.html
U.S. UPS PRESSURE FOR NOUR RELEASE
The United States increased pressure on one of its closest allies in the Middle East on Saturday, calling for the release of a top Egyptian opposition leader who was sentenced to five years in prison for forging petition
signatures.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/12/25...l.ap/index.html
Even from the days of the Pharaohs, Egypt has always maintained it's notoriety for drama and suspense in politics. Sadly, a lot of these events end in death or war. It is not surprising that high officials in government are involved in underhanded activities. Now, standing back from this, I am surprised the US is giving this man so much backing.
International Level: International Guru / Political Participation: 3231 100%
I don't really know much about this case but I'm not surprised the US is backing him. The US tends to back whichever candidate they believe is in their national interest when it comes to foreign elections. It has nothing to do with spreading democracy or freedom in Egypt.
The fact this guy is being jailed for four years over forgery is quite peculiar. But he can't be much of a threat to the Egyptian Government if he was such a distant second in the elections. Unfortunately with these cases it is very hard to determine the truth of either side.
I know that Egypt is involved in extraordinary rendition with US Government authorities and they might even allow the US military to use parts of the country as a base. So it is an important relationship to the US, especially with an ever fragile Saudi Arabia.
International Level: Negotiator / Political Participation: 453 45.3%
Egypt Politics
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