By John Fuller
Egypt’s deposed President Morsi, a member of the Arab Brotherhood (an Islamic jihadist organization) was democratically elected only a year ago. After millions of Egyptians demonstrated in the streets rebelling against Morsi’s increasingly intolerant policies, the military staged a military coup d’etat. That would be a step towards liberty, but as usual, the Obama Administration is determined to “lead from behind.” Acting like a poker player who wants to bet only when his opponent’s cards are on the table, Obama has chosen the path of appeasement to prevent a possible outbreak of violence if the military tries to suppress the Muslim Brotherhood. Obama’s policies are destined to erode what little creditability the U.S. has left in the region. Arguments for compromise with tyranny in the name of “peace” and “justice” are the liberals’ stock-in-trade in foreign policy. Obama’s policy towards Egypt could not demonstrate the folly of this policy any more clearly. The Muslim Brotherhood is an international organization bent on achieving world Islamic rule. It is unseemly for the Obama Administration to declare that a “democratic process” cannot be declared legitimate unless it includes representation for those who advocate global tyranny. |
By Joe Carbonari
It seems to me that “refusing to compromise” often comes paired with an unwillingness to face inconvenient facts. Ignoring or discounting them does not make them go away. The Muslim Brotherhood is the largest organized political force in Egypt. They must be included in any democratic solution. For a democracy to work the cooperation of the citizenry must be voluntary – of the people, by the people, for the people … all the people. Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president, ignored this principle, aggregated undue power unto himself and inappropriately favored the Brotherhood. His handling of the economy was inept, and average Egyptians suffered both from high unemployment and a shortage of gasoline and other necessities. Some of these shortages are suspected to have been manipulated by the army and by its close friends and business elites. Morsi thought that he had the army neutralized and supportive. This was not the case. In Egypt the army has historically professed to be neutral, but in fact has been the real repository of power since the monarchy was overthrown in 1952. The U.S. has leverage with the army, and we should use that leverage to help bring about a more inclusive “reset” of Egypt’s democratic transition. All must be included … even those with which we disagree. |