Pulling out all the STOPS: Lobbyist Getting Pretty Agitated

Peter Tompa has recently switched his "observations' from being "against anyone who asks for an MOU" to apparently being specifically anti-Egypt, anti Sissi and pro Muslim Brotherhood. From a slow beginning, he's now managing a virulently anti-Egyptian posting a day. Can he keep it up until 14th May? (My bet is 'no'). So here is the current achievement so far:

Thursday, April 10, 2014: "Egypt's Face to the World"

While the archaeological community seeks to make archaeologist Monica Hanna the Face of Egypt when it comes to "emergency import restrictions," we must not forget Ms. Hanna is in effect doing the bidding of a military government that has presented quite another face to the world. Looting in Egypt may or may not be a serious problem, but the question remains why should American collectors and the small businesses of the antiquities and numismatic trade be made to pay for a mess entirely of Egypt's own making?

Monday, April 14, 2014: "I destroyed them because they belong to the Government and I'm mad at the Government"

And yet, rather than facing this basic truth, the media and government decision-makers uncritically accept the received wisdom from archaeologists with an axe to grind against collectors and self-interested foreign cultural bureaucrats that the real culprits are foreign collectors and shadowy antiquities dealers. No, the real problem is the state ownership model they support, particularly when this approach awards absolute control to violent and venal governments at war with their own people

"At war with its own people" or Islamists?

Tuesday, April 15, 2014: "Hanna: Mubarak Regime Involved in Antiquities Trafficking"

Tuesday, April 15, 2014: "Monica Hanna: The Arab Spring and the State of Egyptian Antiquities".

Wednesday, April 16, 2014: 'PAC Hearing Scheduled for Pre-Judged Egyptian MOU',

"silence will only be spun as acquiesce"

Thursday, April 17, 2014 “Done Deal” or Not— Say NO to the Dictators and Oppose the Egyptian MOU'

"silence will only be spun as acquiesce"

Saturday, April 19, 2014: '37% Fear the Federal Government, 17% Unsure'

it would not surprise CPO if these numbers were considerably higher. And why not, what with recent news of a pre-judged MOU with a Middle Eastern military dictatorship [?]

I could not help comparing this with Brendan James' text (Princeton Study: U.S. No Longer An Actual Democracy – TPM April 18, 2014)

over the past few decades America's political system has slowly transformed from a democracy into an oligarchy, where wealthy elites wield most power [...] rich, well-connected individuals on the political scene now steer the direction of the country, regardless of or even against the will of the majority of voters.

So, precisely the milieu from which come the high end collectors of dugup antiquities.

Back to Tompa's catalogue of woes: Sunday, April 20, 2014: 'Clampdown on US Collectors Won't Stop Egyptian Military Dictatorship's Tilt to Russia'

"If the State Department thinks sacrificing the interests of American collectors and small businesses with a pre-judged MOU will arrest the Egyptian military dictatorships's tilt to Russia, it's probably kidding itself".

Monday, April 21, 2014: "Reality Check"

 Does "Saying Yes to the Egyptian MOU" really mean "Saying Yes to Egypt's Military Dictatorship?"

(No, but sending them helicopters does)

Tuesday, April 22, 2014: "Demolish Historic St. Catherine's Monastery?"

[Westboro Church official] has enlisted Egyptian courts in an effort to demolish the historic St.Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai as a security threat.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 "Lazy Journalism"

More lazy journalism on Egyptian antiquities,

Wednesday, April 23, 2014: 'Who Are the Real Cultural Racketeers?',

Is it possible that some of the biggest "cultural racketeers" are associated with the Egyptian Government itself? And, it so, does it follow that a MOU with Egypt may only foster yet more corruption?

UPDATE:
Friday, April 25, 2014: 'Zahi Hawass the Martyr?' 

allegedly using his public office for private gain [..] And shouldn't that be considered far more serious than some poor farmer doing some illicit excavation work to feed his family?

 Perhaps he's trying to feed his family too? (As I assume is Mr Tompa, writing this rubbish for money).