Umm, yeah, we all concur. So what is to be done vis a vis Australian Government policy?

Julie I'd love to be your speechwriter - I'd give you an angle and even generate a critical argument.

Pete

If the Egyptian military really want to radicalise people with nothing left to lose? They seem to be going about it in the right way Julie?
Sure, a dictatorship and or its military adjunct, can suppress dissent, and sometimes for decades, but never ever forever!
As sure as day follows night, there will come a day of blood-curdling reprisals; if the Egyptian military try to replace one form of dictatorship with another.
The longer dissent is suppressed, the worse will be the reprisals!
This seems to be very bad news and coming at the very worst possible time for the already seriously depressed Egyptian economy.
The Egyptian military, will gain a lot less by attempting to hold onto their self-funding investments; given, the state of the global economy?
Moreover, they could lose the American contribution, which is considerable.
They also threaten the local tourist dependant economy, by their seeming recalcitrant intransigence, or reluctant refusal to adopt genuine, by the people, for the people, of the people democracy?
By any rational measure, the military have the most to lose, in so doing!
Those who crave power for its own sake, should never ever have it!
Rhrosty.

Hi Rhrosty

As with every Egyptian government since "Camp David" in 1978 the US has backed up Egyptian military rulers. This is because the US and Israel neither trust nor want to risk a strongly Islamic influenced Egyptian government.

Memories of the rise of Islam in Iran (1979) and continuing problems with it are too painful for the US, Israeli and (quietly) Australian governments to consider.

The Egyptian military are the devils the US and Israel know and can control.

So US protestations at the violence inflicted by the Egyptian military (and intelligence) will probably make way for the accustomed US multibillion/year funding of Egypt's military rulers.

This pretty much dooms the other idealists of the international Arab Spring as well - sadly.

Pete

Footnote; we for our own part, need to act with urgent alacrity, to seize/guarantee our own indigenous energy supplies! Even if that means Govt sponsorship, of exploration and exploitation the "reef"!
Not all that bad, given our naturally occurring sweet light crude, produces 75% less carbon emission, when compared to the fully imported, refined, sulphur loaded hydrocarbon products, that emanate from the Middle East?
Which option produces the worst consequences for the environment?
Locally available option which creates just 25% of the carbon, of the fully imported heavily refined product; or, the fully imported product, which ultimately, produces four times as much comparative carbon through the production cycle, than locally obtained/mined/drilled for, ready to use, virtually as is, increasingly valuable hydrocarbon products.
Look, we may be being "mindlessly" asked to lock up and throw away the key, on possible hydrocarbon reserves to our immediate north, that may rival or even eclipse the entire known reserves of the entire Middle East?
And just how smart would that be in light of recent events in Iran, Syria and Egypt? Just to highlight the most glaringly obvious!
Given any conflict in the middle East, could completely cut off the Suez, and or, the straights of Homuz; and all the current oil supplies that currently flow through them?
Without guaranteed oil supplies and substantial reserves, we and all our allies, and their allies, are virtually defenceless!
We need to see this development in the Middle East, with all the concern and seriousness it deserves, and not just solely because of the lives it may eventually cost or destroy! Capishe.
Rhrosty.

Pete, can't ague with history! Cheers Rhrosty.

"Poverty and lack of employment were two of the motivating factors behind the millions of people who took to the streets during the 18 days of protests that toppled Mubarak."

And gee whiz Julie, Australia (as in successive governments) supported Mubarak right up until his overthrow, what hypocrisy.

May I suggest you look in your own backyard (Liberal policy decisions you supported under Howard) and consider the statement you made "A powerful Egyptian military dominated by radical Islamists would be cause for enormous strategic concern."

Cause and effect, take off those rose coloured glasses for goodness sake and stop spruiking this weekly rubbish.