The news of Hosni Mubarak’s heart attack circled the world today. His attack, followed by a defibrillator treatment and, apparently a move to a military hospital from his prison clinic, has left the former Egyptian president in a condition described as critical.
The 84-year-old Mubarak has not been well for some time, and his family has repeatedly asked that he be moved to a hospital where he could receive more sophisticated treatment. That has now been done, but, it seems, too late to really help.
And in Cairo, Tahrir Square is again filled with protesters. They are not there because of Mubarak but because they support the presidential candidate Mohammed Mosni, who is declaring that he won the election. The official results will be announced on Thursday.
But Mosni and his Muslim Brotherhood have already suffered several setbacks in their attempts to gain power: *having the candidacy of his opponent, a former Mubarak-era prime minister whose candidacy was questioned because of a ruling that former Mubarak officials were nor eligible for office, approved, *having his own party’s preferred candidate ruled ineligible because of procedural irregularities so that he became a candidate himself late in the process, *having his Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary majority ruled in violation of Egyptian law so that a new parliamentary election will need to be held after a new constitution is drafted and adopted by referendum. That ought to be enough to stop anyone.
But Mosni is still there and today an estimated 100,000 people demonstrated in Tahrir Square in support of him.
Is the Brotherhood sensing the power vacuum that has been created with Mubarak’s deteriorating health?
Has the Brotherhood decided that it must act now to challenge the Egyptian Army’s grip on the country’s political life or risk an entrenchment of the Army so firm that it will once again declare “war” on the Muslim Brotherhood, as it did under Mubarak?
Has the Brotherhood realized that it can defeat the Army on the streets of Cairo, and that it has the support of sufficient numbers of Egyptians to make the tactic work?
Or, has the Brotherhood simply decided to put an end to secular politics and move forward with an Islamist state agenda, daring the Army or anyone else to try to stop them?
We simply do not know.
The Muslim Brotherhood says it wants a democratic, secular Egypt and is not interested in a religious Islamist state.
The Brotherhood says it will respect all religions, something the Coptic Christian community, which is 10% of the Egyptian population, is sceptical about.
The Brotherhood says it will work with all political parties and interest groups so that Egypt’s new government represents all of them.
However, we have seen them in a position of power in the parliament, where they pushed through a committee to write the new constitution that was packed with Islamist leaning members. This may be the flavor of things to come if the Brotherhood gains real power.
And it is just this that the Army seems determined to prevent.
What we do know is that things are now moving at a rather rapid pace in Egypt and we may have many answers this summer about the future of Egypt and her 82 million citizens.
I don't think the Egyptian Army will give control to either of these. My opinion.
ReplyDeleteWithout some form of "feet on the ground" intervention - of which not even Obama could even justify The Brotherhood looks like a sure bet to SOON be in full control of Egypt - and that is a shame. Not because it's Egypt, not because it's The Brotherhood, I don't think even because it's extreme Islamic radicals with another strong hold in the Middle East. But because we have again let down millions of oppressed people who simply wanted to live their simple lives as they saw fit.
ReplyDeleteWhen are we (USA) and the rest of the civilized western world going to learn that words do not always lead to victory for those who need our help.
I think what The Muslin Brotherhood wants is
1. Total domination of the Middle East
2. Sharia Law as the law of the land in the middle east.
3. Sharia Law in bits and pieces in as many other countries as it can.A mosque in the shadow of the Trade Center is a victor for them -ie: talking points among the followers.
4. More division in countries as they have in Malaysia, Southern Philippine Island provinces.
Look at Afghanistan. The Russian spent 10 years and lost, we about to spend some 12 years there and lose. Time is nothing to the extremist. They have spend 4000 years waging this battle against the "INFIDELS". They have won, they have lost. They have lost what they won and won what they lost, over and over.
Words and good deeds will help. But just maybe a little action directed at the core of the problem would help
Another excellent blog. Thank you again
" No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little".
Sir Edmund Burke
Let's all hope so. But we do have 4000 years of perseverance to say that won't happen. These discussions are fun.
ReplyDeleteYes but what shape are they taking. It has just be announced that the new leadership in Egypt wants SHEIK OMAR ABDEL RAHMAN released. Here's betting that a move will take place in order to attempt that.
ReplyDeleteDebts are starting to come due for old Obama me thinks!
Maybe t like the Lockerbee bomber he simply wants to go home to die as he is quit sick and not expected to live. Bologna! He and all like him should have special cells someplace that are damp and dripping with water. No electricity, TV (doesn't matter to Rahman,he can't see it). maybe a cell that a POW in N. Viet Nam.