The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic group once banned by Egypt, has become a force as the country undergoes a change in government, observers said.
Because of its organization and network, the Muslim Brotherhood was expected to have an advantage while the post-Hosni Mubarak government takes shape, The New York Times reported Friday. What is surprising to some are the ties the organization has with its adversary, the military.
“There is evidence the Brotherhood struck some kind of a deal with the military early on,” said Elijah Zarwan, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group. “It makes sense if you are the military — you want stability and people off the street. The Brotherhood is one address where you can go to get 100,000 people off the street.”
In the early stages of the upheaval in the country earlier this year, the Muslim Brotherhood was reluctant to join the call for demonstrations.
“The Brotherhood didn’t want this revolution; it has never been a revolutionary movement,” Zarwan told the Times. “Now it has happened; they participated cautiously and they realize they can set their sights higher.”
A tangible example of the organization’s influence was a recent referendum on constitutional amendments in the nation’s first post-Mubarak balloting, the Times reported. Among other things, the amendments call for an accelerated election process so parliamentary contests can be held before September, followed by a presidential race.
This is how democracy works! Change you can believe in!
So. The Muslim Brotherhood with the American-trained and supplied Egyptian army as its personal police force. This is the fruit of American foreign policy. Democracy!
Meanwhile in Libya — and though the US believes otherwise — at least some evidence exists that a coalition of largely Western forces may be backing rebels with ties to al-Qaida.
Ironic, isn’t it? That the brilliant, nuanced, pant-creased faculty lounge presidency of Barack Obama is getting its tactical and strategic ass handed to it by a cadre of medieval fundamentalists?
That’s going to leave a mark…
The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic group once banned by Egypt, has become a force as the country undergoes a change in government, observers said.
Observers say?? NOW???
J.F.C. Instead of saying “is this mic on? I TOLD YOU SO” I want to beat these “observers” to within an inch of their lives with a clue bat.
Typical Goldstein! In your rush to declare that you were right all along, and that the “Freedom! Democracy! Mubarak Must Go!” un-realpolitik types were hopelessly naive, you’re now wildly overstating the case. The MB hasn’t actually seized power in Egypt… yet.
BTW Jeff, as a designer, I really like what you did with those little marks you wrapped around the title of this post. Edgy! Do they have a meaning? Or are they merely decorative?
Either way, they really draw the eye in, and serve as a entry-point to the text. Kudos!
It should be noted that EgyptAir…despite having flights to Tel Aviv, has completely removed Israel from its route map.
Bitter old Stalinist Alexander Cockburn is a vile piece of work, for what it’s worth. If he said the sun rose in the east, I’d want a second opinion before I’d believe it.
This is the fucker who took the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of D-Day to claim in the LA Times that the sole reason for the Normandy invasion was to deny the glorious Red Army the honor of liberating all of continental Europe. It was the first action of the Cold War, a conspiracy by Churchill and Roosevelt to stab our great ally Joseph Stalin in the back.
Cockburn’s revisionist propaganda prompted a deluge of outraged letters, far more than any other article in the Times’ history.
To borrow a quote: “We need a democracy, with a totalitarian party to vote for!” h/t SDA
#6 antillious,
The Muslim Brotherhood’s definition of democracy: One Man, One Vote, One Time.
They actually campaigned on that idea in Algeria, and probably would have won if the government hadn’t canceled the election.
Spiny, and the Algerians killed an awful lot of ’em too. Well, those that didn’t high tail it back East…
May you live in interesting times…
it is not a good thing.
Oh NO! Say it ain’t so!
Makes sense when you realize that by One Man, they mean men only.
One Vote, means, “there is only one candidate to vote for, if you know what’s good for you”.
One Time, means, “this is the last real vote you get”.
One Man, One Vote, One Time.
But that is all you need, because if you know that what is good for you has been ordained by Allah, then you vote for Sharia (presented in whatever form) and stop thinking, questioning, or voting.
Egyptian sheep should be very concerned.
They’ve heard all about it from Afghani goats.