Egypt protests Cairo is a war Zone

[Chocolate and Honey]

Oh, how Isreal is enjoying the unrest in Arab countries.

[Che -Guevara]

^How so?

[ElPunto]

^Enjoying in the sarcastic sense maybe. No se.

[ElPunto]

CAIRO – Egyptian state television says President Hosni Mubarak will make an important speech shortly, at the end of a day when a quarter-million people turned in the largest protest yet to demand his ouster.

 

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information.

[Chocolate and Honey]

Che,

As in " we are the only stable, democratic state in the ME."

[Valenteenah.]

CH, what about the 'respecting minority rights' that the ME doesn't do but Israel does? You gotta laugh.

[Chocolate and Honey]

Yeah, you gotta laugh. It is sad to watch a ME world where Isreal is a "shining" light in a dark world. Imagine Isreal as fair and democratic country?

[The Zack]

The Israelis are actually freaking out as Egypt currently supplies about 40 percent of Israel's natural gas. If Mubarak leaves the office, there is no guarantee they will continue to receive that.

[Prometheus]

The Muslim Brotherhood's most influential thinker was the Egyptian Sayyid Qutb. He was hanged in 1966, but not before he had managed to turn out a vast amount of writings. He showed almost superhuman courage and was, in many respects, a formidable man. But he was also a

racist, a bigot, a misogynist, an anti-Semite and a fervent hater of most things American.

As if to prove that familiarity breeds contempt, he had spent about two years in the United States.

Majority rule is a worthwhile idea. But so, too, are respect for minorities, freedom of religion, the equality of women and adherence to treaties, such as the one with Israel, the only democracy in the region. It's possible that the contemporary Islamists of Egypt think differently about these matters than did Qutb. If that's the case, then there is no cause for concern. But Hamas in the Gaza Strip, although recently moderating its message, suggests otherwise.

The article ElPunto posted is an even-handed and accurate description of Qutb's bizarre ideaology, and the unfavorable ramifications that can result from this revolt. (Tempermentally, I'm a most cynical curmudgeon-- though I'm not as wary of the weasel Ikhwanis this time around.) Educated, middle class Egyptians who want Mubarak to leave scarcely want his dictatorship replaced with the xenophobic, chauvinist islamism of Qutb. Yes, the Muslim Brotherhood has evolved somewhat throughout the years. But there are unmistakable traces of the original virus in their system. The notion of 'majority rule' is rendered meaningless if it entails loss of freedom and self-autonomy (in the guise of Shariah); intolerance and ignorance can never become a subsitute for freedom and enlightenment. Illiberal democracy is, indeed, far worse than liberal autocracy. I surmise that the Egyptian military, like the Turkish military, is too politcally astute to countenance the Ikhwanis to transform Egypt into a 'state of hate'.

[Che -Guevara]

C&H...So true, they are only democracy, that's they want the west to stop "criticizing" Mubarak for the stability.

 

Promestheus....I'm rather surprised you are perpetuating the stereotypical argument that Arab Muslims have only between 'evil' theocracy and dictatorship and also do you think is rather silly to expect Egypt to adopt 'liberal' democratic ideas and institutions. If it's history is any indication, it's unlikely Egypt will be model democracy in the European sense.

[Jacaylbaro]

FUNNY: Mubarak says "He will not be a candidate for the coming Elections" ...

[Prometheus]

Che, I think you misconstrued my argument. I don’t give much credence to the false dichotomy between liberal autocracy (Mubarak) and illiberal theocracy (Muslim Brotherhood). Fortunately, there are more options to be had; if not immediately, then in the near future. Liberal democracy is certainly an option. Developing countries have been edging towards this system of governance for a few decades. Given Egypt’s history, it might take a bit longer for it to develop robust civic and democratic institutions to complement their elections . In any event, my contention is not merely true, but perhaps trivially true. Egyptians don’t have to choose between ‘evil theocracy’ and ‘secular dictatorship’. The can opt for liberal democracy. And the arrow of history firmly points in this direction.

[wyre]

War Hortan ummadiinan sol isugu timid suaal baan idin weydiin,

 

hal qof oo u duceeya xaalada masar taagan ma idinku jiraa, oo yiri allow walaalaheenna islaamka xaaladooda si uun u dhaam?

mise kulligiin goos dambeedka ayaad kawada qosleysaan? Horta JB iyo Nuune anigaa ogoo weyba ku faraxsan yihiin

[NGONGE]

^^ Didn't you see me singing Masr heya Umi, warya?

[wyre]

That doesn't mean inaad u duceysay adheer:D