ABC NEWS
Jane Cowan reported this story on Thursday, February 3, 2011 12:53:00
ELEANOR HALL: In the United States the Obama administration is signalling growing impatience with the Mubarak regime saying change needs to happen now and that "now means yesterday".
But it remains unclear just what else the administration is prepared to do to influence events.
North America correspondent Jane Cowan reports.
JANE COWAN: The violent scenes on the streets of Egypt have shocked the world and the White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says the US president Barack Obama didn't see it coming.
ROBERT GIBBS: I think the president found the images outrageous and deplorable. Everybody did.
JANE COWAN: On the streets of Cairo, pro-Mubarak supporters reportedly accused protesters of executing an American-backed revolution. They held up anti-American signs, one reading "Obama shut up".
It's exactly what the US was trying to avoid - the perception that it's overly involved or taking sides.
Robert Gibbs made no attempt to hide America's frustration at Hosni Mubarak's failure to make good on promises of a peaceful transition.
ROBERT GIBBS: If you're asking me if now is September, it is unseasonably warm but it is not September. (Laughter) Now means now.
JANE COWAN: The violence plays into the hands of the Egyptian leader who's painted the crisis as a choice between stability and chaos.
The State Department spokesman, PJ Crowley, called those behind the violence "thugs".
PJ CROWLEY: We don't know who unleashed these thugs on the streets of Cairo. They've been identified as supporters of the government. But whoever they are, there needs to be accountability here.
This was clearly an attempt at intimidating the protesters.
JANE COWAN: Other world leaders echoed the condemnation.
In London the British prime minister, David Cameron, said you couldn't watch the violence without being moved.
DAVID CAMERON: If it turns out that the regime in any way has been sponsoring or tolerating this violence that would be completely and utterly unacceptable. These are despicable scenes that we're seeing and they should not be repeated.
JANE COWAN: The United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, called the violence "unacceptable".
BAN KI-MOON: Any attack against the peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable and I strongly condemn it. We should not underestimate the danger of instability across the Middle East.
JANE COWAN: He suggested change needed to come well before the elections planned for September.
BAN KI-MOON: They should listen more attentively to genuine and sincere wish of the people. It is important. There needs to be a very peaceful and orderly transition. If any transition is to be taken, it should be done now.
JANE COWAN: But the Egyptian Foreign Ministry has already rejected exhortations for a swift transfer of power, saying calls for that only serve to inflame the situation.
DAVID GERGEN: What the administration now needs to do if I may say so is to try to build an international coalition to put enormous pressure not only on Mubarak but on the army.
JANE COWAN: David Gergen has advised four American presidents and directs the Center for Public Leadership at the Kennedy School of Government.
DAVID GERGEN: First of all call off the Mubarak thugs and so stop the violence.
Secondly, allow the protesters to go back out there. The army was saying today, asking the protesters to go home.
And thirdly to put enormous pressure on the army and Mubarak to understand that Western aid is not coming unless they speed up this transition and they start talking to the opposition, bring them in and make this a very rapid transition. September is way too late.
JANE COWAN: As the crisis deepens reporters in Washington are bristling at the sense the White House has sharply limited their access to the president to avoid questions on Egypt.
Barack Obama plans to make himself available later this week by which time he will be hoping the situation has become calmer and clearer.
This is Jane Cowan in Washington for The World Today.
But it remains unclear just what else the administration is prepared to do to influence events.
North America correspondent Jane Cowan reports.
JANE COWAN: The violent scenes on the streets of Egypt have shocked the world and the White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says the US president Barack Obama didn't see it coming.
ROBERT GIBBS: I think the president found the images outrageous and deplorable. Everybody did.
JANE COWAN: On the streets of Cairo, pro-Mubarak supporters reportedly accused protesters of executing an American-backed revolution. They held up anti-American signs, one reading "Obama shut up".
It's exactly what the US was trying to avoid - the perception that it's overly involved or taking sides.
Robert Gibbs made no attempt to hide America's frustration at Hosni Mubarak's failure to make good on promises of a peaceful transition.
ROBERT GIBBS: If you're asking me if now is September, it is unseasonably warm but it is not September. (Laughter) Now means now.
JANE COWAN: The violence plays into the hands of the Egyptian leader who's painted the crisis as a choice between stability and chaos.
The State Department spokesman, PJ Crowley, called those behind the violence "thugs".
PJ CROWLEY: We don't know who unleashed these thugs on the streets of Cairo. They've been identified as supporters of the government. But whoever they are, there needs to be accountability here.
This was clearly an attempt at intimidating the protesters.
JANE COWAN: Other world leaders echoed the condemnation.
In London the British prime minister, David Cameron, said you couldn't watch the violence without being moved.
DAVID CAMERON: If it turns out that the regime in any way has been sponsoring or tolerating this violence that would be completely and utterly unacceptable. These are despicable scenes that we're seeing and they should not be repeated.
JANE COWAN: The United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, called the violence "unacceptable".
BAN KI-MOON: Any attack against the peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable and I strongly condemn it. We should not underestimate the danger of instability across the Middle East.
JANE COWAN: He suggested change needed to come well before the elections planned for September.
BAN KI-MOON: They should listen more attentively to genuine and sincere wish of the people. It is important. There needs to be a very peaceful and orderly transition. If any transition is to be taken, it should be done now.
JANE COWAN: But the Egyptian Foreign Ministry has already rejected exhortations for a swift transfer of power, saying calls for that only serve to inflame the situation.
DAVID GERGEN: What the administration now needs to do if I may say so is to try to build an international coalition to put enormous pressure not only on Mubarak but on the army.
JANE COWAN: David Gergen has advised four American presidents and directs the Center for Public Leadership at the Kennedy School of Government.
DAVID GERGEN: First of all call off the Mubarak thugs and so stop the violence.
Secondly, allow the protesters to go back out there. The army was saying today, asking the protesters to go home.
And thirdly to put enormous pressure on the army and Mubarak to understand that Western aid is not coming unless they speed up this transition and they start talking to the opposition, bring them in and make this a very rapid transition. September is way too late.
JANE COWAN: As the crisis deepens reporters in Washington are bristling at the sense the White House has sharply limited their access to the president to avoid questions on Egypt.
Barack Obama plans to make himself available later this week by which time he will be hoping the situation has become calmer and clearer.
This is Jane Cowan in Washington for The World Today.