As we join the celebration with the people in Egypt who showed such courage in the face of 30 years of repression, those of us living in the United States must stop the crimes of our own government towards the people of the region:

The Mubarak regime was “Made in the U.S.A.” Since 1979, the U.S. has given the regime $35 billion, $1.3 billion per year in military support. Because of this, Egypt has a large military, and the world’s 4th largest fleet of F-16 fighter planes. Egyptian police who have held 10,000 political prisoners receive training from the U.S. military. Even the tear gas fired on demonstrators is "Made in the U.S.A."

Despite decades of torture, disappearing political opponents, and the most open brutality against its own citizens, neither Republican or Democrat leaders plan to reduce military aid to Egypt (LA Times 2/9/11).

The U.S. government and leaders know Egypt is a torture state. The United States, including the Obama administration, knows about the torture, abuse, indefinite detention, political suppression, rape and sexual assault that had been taking place over years under the Mubarak regime.

According to Human Rights Watch, “law enforcement officials have used torture and ill-treatment on a widespread, deliberate, and systematic basis over the past two decades to glean confessions and information, or to punish detainees.” Omar Suleiman – now the vice president – was the intelligence chief responsible for arranging “extraordinary rendition” of prisoners to be tortured in Egypt for the Clinton and Bush administrations, interrogating some himself.

Saturday March 19: STOP These Wars Now! On the 8th anniversary of the U.S. War & Occupation of Iraq, Join the protest! At The White House 12:00 pm, or wherever you are. U.S. Out of Iraq and Afghanistan!

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