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February 2, 2011

Obama: "Orderly Transition" in Egypt Must Begin "Now" 
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In an address following Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's announcement,
President Obama called for a transition to a new government. But he
again refused to explicitly back demands for Mubarak's immediate
departure.

President Obama: "Now, it is not the role of any other country to
determine Egypt's leaders; only the Egyptian people can do that. What is
clear, and what I indicated tonight to President Mubarak, is my belief
that an orderly transition must be meaningful, it must be peaceful, and
it must begin now."

President Obama went on to praise the protest movement, calling it an
"inspiration to the world." But Obama made no mention of the U.S.
government's critical support of Mubarak's regime over its entire 30
years.



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