Obama in Cairo LIVE

http://www.youtube.com/whitehouse?feature=ticker

"Republicans screw the Arabs. Democrats screw the Arabs, but with a smile," Cairo under siege

EXCLUSIVE from comrade Hossam: Cairo Under Siege Ahead Of Obama's Speech

Right before he took off from DC, on what the media has been depicting as some "odyssey," to address the Muslim World from Cairo, President Obama had described the 81-year-old Egyptian President Mubarak as a "force for stability." This week Cairo and its twin city Giza have been a showcase of what this "stability" cost.

The capital is under occupation. Security troops are deployed in the main public squares and metro stations. Citizens were detained en masse and shops were told to close down in Bein el-Sarayat area, neighboring Cairo University, where Obama will be speaking. In Al-Azhar University, the co-host of the "historical speech," State Security police raided and detained at least 200 foreign students, held them without charges in unknown locations. Exams were postponed in the major universities fearing demonstrations, and students were told to stay at home. And in several areas in Cairo and Giza, there will be in effect a curfew, where shops won't be allowed to open, citizens instructed not to open their windows. Almost everyone I know will be staying home tomorrow watching Obama's speech, not necessarily because they are keen on knowing what the freshly-elected US leader has to say to the Muslim world, but because they know it will be virtually impossible to move anywhere in the city on Thursday thanks to Obama's force-for-stability host.

Read more HERE

Stop the wars? yes, we can!

From Stop the War Coalition

http://www.stopwar.org.uk/

HELP US RAISE £10,000 Our Goal: £10000 Currently: £4205 Updated: 12/12/2008 Countdown to Obama Millions of people around the globe celebrated when Barack Obama won the US presidential elections. This does not mean war is over. We may have seen the last of Bush, but we must make sure his war policies go with him. In the New Year we will be mobilising for a national Peace and Justice demonstration in London on April 2nd, at the time of the G20, which will be Obama's first UK visit. We will also be supporting a demonstration at the NATO conference in Strasbourg. Celebrate the end of the Bush years with a commitment to remain active and help us reach our target of £10,000. We are going to need this money. Peace has its price. Donate now. Donate Now

Ideology and Roses-where's the bread?

My witty tutor posted this to the blog of our class 'Myth & Mythmaking'.

Slightly freaked out that Axel is poised as the creating the Greatest Album of all time...although i would possibly agree that they are quite good. Just don't tell anyone that i had a crush on him when younger-yes, i said youngER.

Read more at Ideology&Roses (and the Hope for the Future)

What Muslims can expect from Obama (in his own words)

Some wise words from wordster Dizzie Rascal

When asked whether he believes in political parties, he sharply replies:

"yeah, they exist-i believe in them, i don't know if I care...Politicians are gonna say what they say...every now and again you get a genuine one. People as a whole make the difference. I don't think one person or party can make a difference".

True say Mr Rascal.

**Dizzie for Prime Minister**

How did YOU vote? Or your next-door neighbours 2nd cousins dog twice removed?

I counted 42 categories before i ran out of time and i was only a third down the page!

A great time filler for students who are supposed to be reading (it's 'Reading' week at SOAS-half term to all you normal people): beats washing the windows.

See for yourself here

And the croud goes wild...

Obama letter to UN about Hamas 'terrorists'

Obama letter, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.