Friday, November 21, 2008

3enda Hosni Thanni

Of all the tyrants and dictators in the Arab world, Hosni Mubarak is my favorite. (If you haven't picked up on the sarcasm, pick it up and let's move on to the next point.) Hosni Mubarak has always been so dedicated to ensuring the "goodwill" of his people. He has never been a fan of nepotism or cronyism, and obviously does not go to sleep before making sure every Egyptian street child is warm and well fed. His cabinet has also been known for integrity and allegiance to the improvement of Egypt. Of all the lovely dictators in the Arab world, he has never been one to say something and do something else. Also, he is famous for his transparency and openness to criticism (especially by the Egyptian press.)

Looking at pictures of Hosni Mubarak give me tingles in silly places. Also,hearing this quote about his impression of South Sudanese people warmed my heart and made my day:

"I was overjoyed when I found out that all Southerners I met spoke Arabic because they were trained in Egypt"

Collective "Awww" pweaze. How selfless and positively affirming of him! How magnanimous is he? I especially love that no Sudanese person is treated badly under his watch, or ever brutally murdered or shot like a dog. Love him.

Some crazy people, who are pooh-poohers of every great person on earth, say that he is only interested in South Sudan because of Egypt's desperate need for the completion of Jonglei Canal, a hydro-construction project that guarantees Egypt more than two billion cubic meters of Nile water annually. I say hydropolitcal motives have no place in his tender heart!

Those people are delusional and clearly want to convince the world that Hosni Mubarak has special interests, and is not doing this for his love and sincere concern for the Southern Sudanese people. After all he did say:

"I came to Juba for the first time and it gives you an indication that we are concerned about southern Sudan".

Say Nay to silly skeptics and vindictive vendettas. Haters.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't strongly disagree (double negative) with the content of your post.

I find it 'really interesting' how Pres. Mubarak is not referred to as a dictator in the western press.

So what constitutes a dictator?

But you know what?
In spite of two wrongs never making a right, I'd take a Pres. Hosni over a 6aal 3umrak bedouin monarch anyday.

When I look at Cairo I see the educated upper/middle class far better prospects than those in Sudan.

Wala shinu?

Anonymous said...

Following on:

Are you mad cause he said it like it is?

Aren't 'interests' *the* drivers of international policy??

At least Egypt is doing something to contribute to the development of South Sudan.

What of our (north Sudanese) 'Arab' brethren?
What of absolute monarchs whose personal wealth is estimated at 11 billion US dollars.
What have they done for Sudan?
The Kuwaitis did a lot during the first peace in the 70's-early 80's.

By all means hate, and we have our historical grievances *particularly* with the racism in the media as you've correctly pointed out - but others are more worthy of disdain.

Optimist said...

I look at Cairo and see gross mismanagement of resources, and an unfair distribution of wealth--one of the worst in the world actually. Accounting for ratios, Sudan has no wealth (not nearly as much as Egypt) to distribute so really, a comparison can't be drawn.

Actually, Bedouin monarchs are far better philanthropists and treat the Sudanese people much better than Egyptians.

Of all Arab countries, the Gulf countries have helped Sudan ALOT. I will elaborate on the with a full post soon. But believe you me, Gulfie leaders are far far better than Hosni.

Anonymous said...

Sudan has no wealth (not nearly as much as Egypt) to distribute so really, a comparison can't be drawn.

Wrong.

How much petroleum has Sudan exported since 1999?

An increasing gap between poor and rich is the hallmark of threshold and emerging economies including India and Brazil.

Some things are subsidised to the very poor in Egypt.

Nothing was subsidised to anyone in Sudan until last year when certain medical procedures / medicines were subsidised according to the terms of the Interim Constitution.

Khartoum is 'way' more expensive than Cairo.

I don't wish to generalise re: the Gulf - I was reffering to the biggest country on the peninsula. At least Egyptians try and deal with Sudan on an intellectual level. They invite all members of the Sudanese political spectrum to Cairo to publicise their views.

Have you read 'anything' that Abdalrahman Alrashid - the Saudi Editor in Chief of Asharqalawsat and head of Alarabia writes about Sudan...?

Racist is just one of the words that springs to mind: unbalanced, defamatory, vitriolic.

Optimist said...

Sudan is potentially--not currently-- wealthier than Egypt. That is also why i said "accounting for ratios," when you consider Sudan's "disposable income" you have to consider the fact that Sudan has massive war expenses, Egypt doesnt.
Sudan's expenditure on infrastructure is also through the roof (even though improvement is slow.) Also, don't forget that Sudan is sanctioned by the US.

When you account for all the expenses Sudan has and Egypt doesnt, you will find that for a war torn country, Sudan is not half as bad as Egypt in wealth distribution.

Khartoum is expensive because the inflation as a result of the rapid (10%?) growth. Like you said, now that they're making money, they started subsidizing. The more money Sudan makes, the more improvements we'll see, unlike in Egypt where the sky line hasnt changed for decades and the status quo hasnt improved for ages.

I have not read what Abdalrahman Alrashid said-- please do share a link! I think someone mentioned him in a comment before.

PS could you use an alias other than anonymous? Its harder to know who I'm talking to if there are 3 people going by "anon" plus its more fun :)

PPS you probably asked "do you know how much petr. Was exported since 99" as a rhetoric Q, but my answer is: "I don't know, but I would like to." :D

Anonymous said...

I sense an anti-Egypt sentiment, and I completely understand, but that shouldn't cloud one's fair judgement.
Their infrastructure is far better than ours in and outside of Cairo - Sharm, Alex etc..

All things considered, we are catching up though.

And I agree that our future is far more promising in terms of available natural resources per capita, especially water.

Sudan doesn't have massive war expenses it (she) has massive peace expenses with all the reconstruction funds set up for the east, south and west.

I don't want to get political but those in power in Sudan would rather not subsidise, they conceded in tough peace deals.
They implemented black letter capitalism to the most minute detail.
Yes it did cause inflation to be brought under check and had positive macro-economic results - but what was the tangible human cost?
Khartoum is damn expensive for locals and for tourists.
As for distribution of wealth statistics don't lie - many Sudanese live beyond Khartoum's urban sprawl in the most unimaginable and abject poverty with no electricity and difficult access to water fit for human consumption.
We still have some time ahead of us..

I still think Egypt offers more human investment for its people than Sudan - in education, centres of excellence etc...

As for using another alias - my alias says about me as much as yours says about you ; p!

As for Alrashid's notorious articles - he writes a regular editorial in Asharqalawsat's English and Arabic websites.

nn99 said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Optimist said...

"I sense an anti-Egypt sentiment, and I completely understand, but that shouldn't cloud one's fair judgment."

What lead you to deduce that?

Anonymous said...

Your defence of the Levantines and focus on the Egyptians led me to deduce that.

Optimist said...

"As for using another alias - my alias says about me as much as yours says about you ; p!"

Not really, since I already know your name and how you look like (facebook, remember ;)

I recognize your writing style and that is how I can distinguish you from the other anons, but sometimes it gets confusing. Come on, aliases are fun... Mickey Mouse, James Bond, Cookie Monster, anything but anonymous!! ;)