To The Front: John Key Versus The Egyptian People

A fortnight is a long time in politics and it took just 14 days for the New Zealand government to reverse its stance on Egypt and finally support the ousting of the dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Two weeks ago, after the mass protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square had demanded Mubarak and his regime go, Prime Minister John Key appeared on television calling for the corrupt tyrant to stay in power saying -

"We respect the fact that he (Mubarak) has done his very best to lead a country which has recognised Israel and, therefore, has wanted to make sure the position in Middle East has been a peaceful one".

When asked if he was calling for Mubarak to go Key gave an emphatic No!

However last Saturday Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully bowed to the inevitable and welcomed Hosni Mubarak's decision to step down as president of Egypt.

"The decision by President Mubarak to step aside will create the conditions for a peaceful and substantial transition", said McCully. "Hopefully this will enable a shift from protest and confrontation, to dialogue and co-operation. The stability of Egypt and the Middle East region depends upon this."

It was an unsurprising statement. McCully may be many things but he is always predictable. Once the White House has made a public announcement on any issue McCully will chime in shortly after with his two cents worth in support of the empire's position.

It's more interesting to consider John Key's initial comments. He supported Mubarak because Mubarak recognised Israel. It's as simple as that - democracy and freedom for the people of Egypt never got a look in. Supporting the Zionist state remains Key's top priority irrespective of the brutal oppression carried out by the Israeli military, the illegal policy of building Jewish-only settlements on Palestinian land and the brutal military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Key might have added that US support for the Israeli state comes with billions in US dollars annually along with similar sums for Egypt whose compliance with US policy has been purchased with bribes to Mubarak and his cronies. Palestinians suffer at the sharp end of this US policy through Egypt maintaining the blockade of Gaza at their side of the border.

Israel, the US and John Key are now seriously worried. A month ago, after the uprising in Tunisia and the start of the Egyptian mobilisations the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom made the revealing comment

"If regimes neighbouring the Israeli state were replaced by democratic systems, Israeli national security might significantly be threatened. The new systems would defend or adopt agendas that are inherently opposed to Israeli national security.. a democratic Arab world would end this present allegiance (co-operation on security and intelligence between Arab dictators and Israel) because a democratic system would be governed by a public generally opposed to Israel"

John Key's comments are a precise fit with this Israeli position. Key would prefer to have a brutal dictator in power in Egypt rather than see the flowering of democracy there and across the Arab world. It's a repetition of the familiar US view of democracy - it's too good to waste on anyone who will vote against US interests.

Key's position however became untenable in the face of the mass demonstration which inevitable finally topped the dictator so now our government has "welcomed" the end of Mubarak's regime. The focus now of John Key will be to support any reactionary leadership in Egypt which will keep support for Israeli and US dominance in the Middle-East intact. Key wants "stability" first which means keeping the aspirations of the people in check. The Egyptian public have different ideas...

The days and weeks ahead will be critical. Will the revolution be co-opted by the wealthy elites in the army and corporate sector or will it deepen and drive forward for democracy at every level of society?

There will be many difficult times ahead but the heroes of the hour are those courageous Egyptians who defied the violence, brutality, torture and oppression of their corrupt military dictator.

All strength to their arm.

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