Mubarak 'will have to go': US senator
WASHINGTON: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak "will have to go," a top US lawmaker said Monday after a closed-doors Senate meeting on weeklong, deadly protests calling for the authoritarian leader's ouster.
Mubarak "cannot afford to clamp down again, as he initially tried to do by deploying his security forces and shutting down access to the Internet," Senator Bill Nelson wrote in an opinion article after a closed doors meeting of the Select Committee on Intelligence on recent events in Egypt and Tunisia.
"Instead, Mr Mubarak will have to go," Nelson added, though cautioning against the Egyptian government falling and "leaving the door open for extremists," such as the powerful Muslim Brotherhood opposition group.
His statement came amid the seventh straight day of nationwide protests against Mubarak's three-decade rule that have shaken Egypt, and left at least 125 people dead as the veteran leader clings to power.
US President Barack Obama's administration has so far reacted cautiously to the uprising in one of its most crucial allies in the Middle East, seemingly seeking to show solidarity with protesters demanding democracy but stopping short of calling for Mubarak to step down.
Egypt is also only one of two Arab countries -- the other being Jordan -- to have recognized major US ally Israel. Egypt and Israel are the two biggest recipients of US foreign aid.
Nelson also noted, however, that there could be a "short-term solution" to quell the unrest with Mubarak holding onto power while guaranteeing "free and fair" elections.
But if Mubarak stays, he should to "immediately submit to this core principle of democracy," the Florida Democrat said in the article.
Meanwhile Kay Granger, who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, warned of the risks of suspending US support for Egypt.
"While there are calls for eliminating Egypt's economic and military aid, I urge caution wh! en decid ing what the US response will be," the Texas Republican said in a statement.
"It is critical that we are deliberate about the actions we take. Egypt has been a moderate influence in the Middle East and has a peace agreement with Israel. I am continuing to monitor the events on the ground very closely."
The Senate panel's meeting also discussed the situation in Tunisia, where protests that led to the ouster of strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali inspired Egypt's uprising.
Mubarak "cannot afford to clamp down again, as he initially tried to do by deploying his security forces and shutting down access to the Internet," Senator Bill Nelson wrote in an opinion article after a closed doors meeting of the Select Committee on Intelligence on recent events in Egypt and Tunisia.
"Instead, Mr Mubarak will have to go," Nelson added, though cautioning against the Egyptian government falling and "leaving the door open for extremists," such as the powerful Muslim Brotherhood opposition group.
His statement came amid the seventh straight day of nationwide protests against Mubarak's three-decade rule that have shaken Egypt, and left at least 125 people dead as the veteran leader clings to power.
US President Barack Obama's administration has so far reacted cautiously to the uprising in one of its most crucial allies in the Middle East, seemingly seeking to show solidarity with protesters demanding democracy but stopping short of calling for Mubarak to step down.
Egypt is also only one of two Arab countries -- the other being Jordan -- to have recognized major US ally Israel. Egypt and Israel are the two biggest recipients of US foreign aid.
Nelson also noted, however, that there could be a "short-term solution" to quell the unrest with Mubarak holding onto power while guaranteeing "free and fair" elections.
But if Mubarak stays, he should to "immediately submit to this core principle of democracy," the Florida Democrat said in the article.
Meanwhile Kay Granger, who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, warned of the risks of suspending US support for Egypt.
"While there are calls for eliminating Egypt's economic and military aid, I urge caution wh! en decid ing what the US response will be," the Texas Republican said in a statement.
"It is critical that we are deliberate about the actions we take. Egypt has been a moderate influence in the Middle East and has a peace agreement with Israel. I am continuing to monitor the events on the ground very closely."
The Senate panel's meeting also discussed the situation in Tunisia, where protests that led to the ouster of strongman Zine El Abidine Ben Ali inspired Egypt's uprising.
Comments