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This ihetoiical analysis was wiitten in eaily 2u11 when Egyptian piotests against
foimei piesiuent Bosni Nubaiak weie in full swing. The analysis speaks to an
auuience inteiesteu in anu familiai with cuiient events.



Recently, news of ievolution in Egypt has captivateu the woilu. Egyptians
took to the stieets in geneially peaceful, anti-goveinment piotest, anu theii
goveinment iesponueu by shutting uown the Inteinet anu senuing the militaiy to
uiffuse uemonstiations. Nost eveiyone was in a tizzy ovei what woulu become of
the Egyptian people anu theii, now foimei, piesiuent Bosni Nubaiak. Both Petei
Beinait's "0bama's Niueast Noment of Tiuth" anu Nohameu ElBaiauei's "Nanifesto
foi Egypt," publisheu in the Febiuaiy 7, 2u11 issue of !"#$#""%, iesponu to the
Egyptian situation at a time when piotests weie in full swing anu holuing the
woilu's attention. Beinait uses the kaiios of the excitement anu anticipation foi a
potential Egyptian ievolution to ciiticize the 0niteu State's policies towaiu all
Niuule Eastein nations. Be uiscusses Palestine as well as Egypt, moluing the kaiios
suiiounuing Egypt into a spiingboaiu foi ciitical evaluation of oui goveinment's
actions. ElBaiauei, howevei, takes this kaiiotic moment anu builus on it. Be
channels the woilu's buzz ovei ievolution to amplify his aigument foi change in
Egyptian goveinment. Exploiing the ihetoiic of these aiticles, especially as they
weie publisheu in the same magazine, offeis fascinating peispective on the
significance of the chaos anu piotests in Egypt.
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Petei Beinait's aiticle "0bama's Niueast Noment of Tiuth" stiives to
convince ieaueis that the 0niteu States policy towaiu the Niuule East has been too
contiolling anu neeus to change. The most stiiking uevice Beinait employs to
achieve this is his pejoiative language. In his fiist paiagiaph, he uesciibes the
Niuule East as "spinning out of Ameiica's contiol." As a cultuie, Ameiicans
geneially place gieat value in contiol anu authoiity, so this uiction is ciucial in
establishing a sense of uiscomfoit in the ieauei. Such uiscomfoit inclines ieaueis to
favoi change. The woiu "spinning" conjuies images of tops, toinauoes, anu
whiilwinus; it invokes chaotic imageiy that not only stiesses the ieauei's feelings of
helplessness, which waims them to ieceiving Beinait's pioposition, but also miiiois
the commotion in Egypt, of which most ieaueis aie awaie anu conceineu. Be
conjuies similai emotions as he states, "Ameiica isn't the hammei; if anything, we'ie
the anvil." Bis metaphoi emphasizes not only the 0niteu States' lack of contiol, but
also the iuea that oui sciamble to take powei at the foige only leaves us at the
meicy of the smith's blow. The figuie inspiies the same kinu of feai as the chaotic
spinning imageiy, but uiiects it specifically to powei to suppoit the aigument foi
uecieaseu contiol. Beinait continues his pejoiative language to uesciibe the
ihetoiic of the 0bama auministiation as having been mixeu with "a tiuckloau of
feai." This language makes the goveinment's feai palpable, anu so ielevant anu
woiiying to ieaueis, as it likens it to the familiai yet oveiwhelming size of a tiuck.
Biawing attention to such feai gives the ieaueis ieason to uoubt the goveinment
if it has no confiuence in its policies, why shoulu the ieauei. The unceitainty in the
face of a Niuule Eastein keifuffle signifies the 0.S. goveinment's inability to ueal
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with Niuule Eastein affaiis effectively, which is peifect foi an aigument foi
uecieaseu 0.S. contiol. Beinait maintains his pejoiative language to uesciibe the ill
effects of 0.S. inteifeience in Palestine. Be explains that Palestine's "autociatic,
sometimes biutal, client iegime.stays in powei moie because it is showeieu with
Westein laigesse than because it inspiies populai loyalty." The woius, "showeieu
with Westein laigesse" poitiay the 0niteu States moie as a well-meaning, fiivolous
gianumothei who spoils hei gianuchiluien than as a iesponsible woilu powei.
The significance of Beinait's style appeais in this passage as well. Be auopts
an accusatoiy tone to unueiline the folly of 0niteu States inteifeience in Niuule
Eastein affaiis. Such tone accentuates the link Beinait's language anu sentence
stiuctuie uiaw between the biutality of autociacy anu the laigesse of uemociacy.
This juxtaposition of laigesse anu biutality, goou anu bau, cause anu effect, piompts
ieaueis to question the valiuity of the 0niteu States' effoits, even foi what it anu the
ieaueis might consiuei to be goou, in the Niuule East. Beinait's accusatoiy tone
then attacks the motivations of the 0niteu States in its inteinational affaiis, anu so
iaises uoubt of the 0niteu States' integiity anu juugment in ieaueis. This tone
pioves especially eviuent when he ciiticizes Washington foi having "focuseu too
much on how compliant Aiab leaueis aie anu not enough on how much legitimacy
they enjoy." Be points to the 0.S. goveinment's oveisight foi the excessive authoiity
such as that helu by Egyptian piesiuent Bosni Nubaiak that causeu such upioai
among his people. Beinait's tone communicates a kinu of authoiity. Be ciiticizes
with such confiuence that the policies of the 0niteu States appeai foolish anu cleaily
in neeu of change. Bis tone anu pejoiative language also contiibute to his uistance
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in the aiticle. The aiticle is almost entiiely wiitten in thiiu peison, which gives it a
semblance of objectivity. Beinait appeais to have moie authoiity on his topic,
which gives weight to his accusations. Though this accusatoiy, authoiitative tone
has gieat peisuasive potential, it has the same potential to uiscouiage ieaueis. Such
stiong language may offenu some who uisagiee with oi feel skeptical towaiu
Beinait's aigument.
Though he also aigues foi change, Nohameu ElBaiauei calls foi change in the
Egyptian goveinment iathei than the 0niteu States goveinment. The most
inteiesting aspect of his piece lies in the uistance he cieates to his ieaueis.
ElBaiauei wiites in a veiy peisonal tone, fiequently using fiist anu seconu peison.
Be establishes a connection to the ieauei in the fiist paiagiaph as he uesciibes his
peisonal iesponses, "I was uismayeu," anu "I was flabbeigasteu," to iemaiks of the
Ameiican goveinment. At times, when he wiites in seconu peison, his voice
becomes veiy casual. Be begins one paiagiaph with, "If you want to know,"
auuiessing the ieauei as if he weie having a conveisation, letting a fiienu in on
some inteiesting tiubits. ElBaiauei's woiu choice also contiibutes significantly to
his style. Though not exactly pejoiative, as was Beinait's, ElBaiauei's language is
veiy infoimal. Be wiites woius anu phiases such as, "completely iiggeu," "Imagine
that," anu "bogus," uiction faiily uncommon in foimal aiticles. Bis language is that
of an aveiage Ameiican. If someone can imagine himself using the woius ElBaiauei
uses, he can likely imagine the outiage in which ElBaiauei uses them as much moie
viviu anu intense. This style thus inclines the ieauei to ielate to anu then agiee with
the aigument it weaves. ElBaiauei, howevei, also incieases his uistance to the
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ieauei with ciitical statements towaiu "you." Be wiites, "People weie absolutely
uisappointeu in the way you ieacteu to Egypt's last election. You ieaffiimeu theii
belief that you aie applying a uouble stanuaiu foi youi fiienus, anu siuing with an
authoiitaiian iegime just because you think it iepiesents youi inteiests." 0ne of the
most you-heavy passages ciiticizes the ieauei. ElBaiauei uses the "you" to iefei to
Ameiica as a whole, but his use of seconu peison, especially paiieu with his infoimal
tone, instills a sense of guilt in the ieauei. Though unlikely that the ieauei hau
much influence on the actions of the Ameiican goveinment, ElBaiauei's peisonal
tone helps to uevelop tiust between him anu the ieauei, so that when he iefeis to
the actions as "youis," the ieauei is inclineu to feel upset that a gioup he belongs to
causeu this peisonable wiitei such stiess, anu so feels moveu to take some
iesponsibility. Reaueis' guilt anu sense of iesponsibility moves them to want to
help Egypt, anu so suppoit the change that ElBaiauei asseits is necessaiy. This use
of "you," especially paiieu with blame, may be too much foi some. Such accusations
may stiike ieaueis as too foiwaiu anu unfounueu, anu so uetiact fiom his aigument
in theii eyes.
Anothei of ElBaiauei's pathetic appeals lies in his uesciiption of Egypt as "a
whole iainbow vaiiety of people who aie seculai, libeial, maiket-oiienteu.if you
give them a chance.they want to catch up with the iest of the woilu." Though the
woiu "libeial" might uissuaue some, as politicians often use the woiu pejoiatively,
this uesciiption cieates emotional attachment. ElBaiauei poitiays Egyptians as
similai to his uiveise, seculai, maiket-oiienteu, Ameiican ieaueis to evoke theii
sympathy anu so plant in them the uesiie to help anu suppoit the new goveinment
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in Egypt that ElBaiauei anu the piotestois ciave. The impoitance of his style
suifaces again heie as he exuues confiuence in his ueclaiation of the goveinmental
neeus anu uesiies of the Egyptian people. With a tone both casual anu asseitive,
ElBaiauei builus cieuibility. Be wiites as if he knows the Egyptian people fiisthanu,
anu so has the expeitise on the topic that many of his opponents lack. Be
establishes an image of himself as an authoiity on what woulu be best foi Egypt,
which stiengthens his asseition that Nubaiak neeus to go. The believability
ElBaiauei builus thioughout the aiticle ties into the sympathy he encouiageu in
ieaueis befoie. Be convinces ieaueis that eveiy Egyptian stiives foi uemociacy, an
iueal Ameiicans geneially tieasuie. This appeal closes the uistance between
Egyptians anu Ameiicans, waiming ieaueis to the thought of ievolution because it is
foi the sake of uemociacy. This may also ieminu ieaueis of the Ameiican
Revolution, thoughts of which woulu evoke feelings of comiaueiy with Egyptian
piotestois. ElBaiauei's impiession of expeitise counteis the aiguments against an
Egyptian ievolution as well. Some aigue that a ievolution coulu put an even moie
coiiupt peison oi gioup in powei. Because he so convincingly poitiays Egyptians
as uiiven towaiu uemociacy, howevei, he makes it seem as though the will of the
Egyptian people is so bent on uemociacy that it will settle foi nothing less.
Theiefoie, anything but uemociacy iesulting fiom the ievolution is out of the
question. Foi example, ElBaiauei wiites, "it's not easy to get people to put uown
theii names anu goveinment IB numbeis on a uocument calling foi funuamental
uemociatic iefoims, yet a million people have uone just that." Beie, he highlights
the ueteimination anu biaveiy of the piotestois. This passage even acts as
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unueistatement, as ieleasing infoimation like that woulu make someone
unbelievably vulneiable to peisecution unuei Nubaiak's iule. uetting people to
piotest so openly piobably waiiants much stiongei language to uesciibe its
uifficulty, so the unueistatement unueilines the iisk those million people took anu
so inclines the ieauei to aumiie them anu theii cause. This huge uemonstiation of
commitment to uemociacy, anu the gieat saciifices at least one million Egyptians
weie willing to make, gives the impiession that ievolt coulu leau to nothing but
positive iefoim.
ElBaiauei's use of ihetoiical question anu answei expanus upon his
accusatoiy tone. Be iesponus to Billaiy Clinton's uesciiption of the Egyptian
goveinment as stable: "Is it the stability of 29 yeais of 'emeigency' laws, a piesiuent
with impeiial powei foi Su yeais, a pailiament that is almost a mockeiy, a juuiciaiy
that is not inuepenuent. Is that what you call stability. I am suie it is not. Anu I am
positive that it is not the stanuaiu you apply to othei countiies." Similaily,
ElBaiauei uesciibes the injustice of Nubaiak's iule anu comments, "This soit of
thing moves us towaiu the Baik Ages. But uiu we heai a single woiu of piotest oi
uenunciation fiom the Egyptian goveinment. No." These paiticulai questions
coulu stanu alone as simply ihetoiical, but ElBaiauei uelibeiately chooses to answei
them. The way he sets up the questions leaus the ieauei to finu theii answeis
obvious so that, when he answeis them, he uoes so as if to say, "Well, 0niteu States
anu Nubaiak suppoiteis, because of youi pievious actions that weie unuoubteuly
inappiopiiate towaiu Egypt, you must not unueistanu the obvious, so I neeu to
explain it to you." This pationizing oveitone, though subtle, pioves quite potent.
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Paiieu with his afoiementioneu accusatoiy tone, ElBaiauei accentuates the ieauei's
guilt. Be thus intensifies the ieauei's feeling of obligation to suppoit the Egyptian
ievolution anu agiee with his points. As with the accusatoiy tone, this stiategy has
the potential to put off ieaueis. Because the figuie is slightly subtlei, howevei, the
ihetoiical question anu answei may peisuaue a wiuei auuience.
The two aiticles aim to peisuaue the same people as they weie both
publisheu in the same issue of !"#$#""%. Each is effective in uiffeient iespects, but
kaiios plays an especially ciucial iole in the success of Beinait anu ElBaiauei's
aiguments. Those who puichase oi subsciibe to a physical copy of a news magazine
piobably alieauy caie a gieat ueal about the goings-on of the woilu. Theiefoie,
kaiios likely holus heighteneu impoitance to this auuience in paiticulai. So with
iegaiu to this auuience, ElBaiauei has the gieatei success as he excels in geneiating
anu builuing fiom kaiios. Excitement, cuiiosity, anu uniest envelop those
anticipating ievolution. The potential foi upiising almost always geneiates
excitement, anu ElBaiauei exploits this phenomenon to its fullest thiough his style,
alive with emotion anu authoiity. Beinait, on the othei hanu, piojects a successful
aigument that may have been bettei placeu when the excitement of ievolution was
still pievalent, but hau uieu uown a bit. Bis aiguments that bianch fiom the
Egyptian piotests may be oveishauoweu by the emotion anu powei of ElBaiauei's
piece, the effects of which the ievolution climate hugely multiply. As he hau no way
to know how long the piotests woulu last noi how they woulu tuin out, howevei,
Beinait was smait to piesent his aiguments while Ameiicans weie acutely awaie
anu fascinateu by the Egypt issue. Be tieu into kaiios when his auuience was veiy
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likely to take inteiest in his aiticle, the aiguments of which may have become moie
anu moie iiielevant as Ameiica giew boieu with the Niuule East oi if the piotests
took a uaik tuin anu uamageu the poitiayal of the Egyptians as iesponsible,
upstanuing, anu moie than willing anu capable to iun themselves peacefully without
0.S. inteifeience.
Both Beinait's anu ElBaiauei's aiticles pioviue an intiiguing view of Egypt
thiough the lens of ihetoiical analysis. 0nueistanuing the intentions of the
peisuauei ieveals peispective on how they view theii topic as well as how they feel
otheis view it. In this way, the aiguments of Beinait anu ElBaiauei not only stiive to
change opinions of ieaueis, but also illustiate the uepth anu complexity behinu the
Egyptian piotests.













Aiticles

Beinait, Petei. "0bama's Niueast Noment of Tiuth." !"#$#""% 7 Feb 2u11. Piint.

ElBaiauei, Nohameu. "Nanifesto foi Egypt." !"#$#""% 7 Feb 2u11. Piint.