Getting the Muslim Brotherhood wrong;
Genuine political liberals are thin on the ground in Egypt, but they do exist. I know several. Some are my friends. Most of them were wrong about the Brotherhood, too. They were right, of course, when they warned the rest of us that the Brothers would transform Egypt into a theocratic dictatorship, but they were wrong when they estimated how much support the Brotherhood had. Hardly any expected the Islamists to win most of the votes, though that’s exactly what happened.
American liberals made a different mistake. Despite warnings from secular Egyptians and former Islamists, the idea that the Muslim Brotherhood is a moderate and democratic party became an article of faith here in the States, particularly among academics and journalists who should have known better. Even James Clapper–who, as the Director of National Intelligence, really should have known better–said the Muslim Brotherhood is “a largely secular organization.” Surely that ranks among the dumbest things ever said about the organization in all of its 85 years.
Related: Mama Mia, More Sharia
ET, you there?
“There is no possibility of getting out of the fundamentals of Islam; there is no provision of introducing any innovation”
That’s a depressing way to end the article. I’ll leave it to the scholars to debate the veracity of that statement.
” said the Muslim Brotherhood is ‘a largely secular organization’.”
That’s right up there with Bush’s declaration that “Islam is a religion of peace”
Taking nominations for 3 other dumbass statements to hold a vote for an Oscar to the best.
A more cynical and logical take is that there is a “Hill the Pill Doctrine”
which posits that instead of shutting out incompetent fanatics from power
in third world kleptocratic backwaters, it is more useful to give them a
taste of what happens when their ideas are implemented. It doesn’t take
a genius to realize that in the end either the fanatics must bend their
nonsense out of shape and rule with the advice of smarter people or get
kicked out of power by hungry mobs screaming for their heads.
In the case of Egypt, perhaps the ruling claque would not bend even a
little to stay in power and the game was over.
YeaH well, armies have a habit of being very pragmatic and practical….how else can ya fight a war.
Even the Whermacht tried to overthrow the Nazi’s.
Watch out for the colonels…..like Nasser, Ghadafi, Sadat, ….
Generals are usually too committed to the regime….
An interesting take on Egypt
‘IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE’: NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT EXPLAINS WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT A FAILED STATE IN EGYPT
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/07/10/its-only-going-to-get-worse-national-security-expert-explains-why-you-should-care-about-a-failed-state-in-egypt/
It is entirely unrealistic to expect muslims to embrace our 21st century liberal democratic ideals, particularly with respect to religious tolerance, democracy and the equality of women. Embracing homosexuals, with open arms, from the front? Not in our lifetime. Sadly, and for well beyond the foreseeable future, muslims will have both feet firmly planted in the 7th century. If you think I am wrong about this, honestly name one muslim majority country where you think your daughter, sister or niece would be safe going to a school outside of a militarily protected compound. muslims think we are stupid because we deal with them as we want them to be. We will not make any progress with muslims until we treat them as they are. As yes, there are some good muslims and muslimettes. But who in their right mind thinks it is the good muslims who call the shots anywhere in the muslim world? Any boy, would like I to be wrong about this.
Elections were held way too soon. The MB and Nour were the only organized forces, so yeah it was pretty easy for them to win.
. If you think I am wrong about this, honestly name one muslim majority country where you think your daughter, sister or niece would be safe going to a school outside of a militarily protected compound.
Probably Morroco. Definitely Turkey and Kurdistan if the altter were an actual country like I wish it was.
“..Probably Morocco. Definitely Turkey and Kurdistan…”
You can scratch Morocco. A friend was there three years ago with his wife for an extended period and he said he was never so glad to get out of a place. Surly, resentful, scowling turds.
You’re probably right about Turkey…but only for the time being,
And as for Kurdistan, I don’t have a clue…so I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.
I think that a few of the nations in the Balkans might be relatively safe places – as far as the flag of Islam is concerned.
But let’s put it this way: a vacation in most muslim countries is way, way down my list.
Sir Winston Churchill (The River War,1899)
How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property – either as a child, a wife, or a concubine – must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.
Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science – the science against which it had vainly struggled – the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome.
Live long enough, & you won’t have to worry about a vacation in a Muslim Nation. Canada will be one.
Just ask our Politicians who are allowing this quiet Colonization.
In 2011, popular Imam Siraj Wahhaj offered Muslims a recommendation: Don’t talk about Sharia Law because “we are not there yet.” He didn’t argue for an interpretation of Sharia that is permanently compatible with the West. Instead, he advised that Muslims be quiet for now, in accordance with the Muslim Brotherhood’s doctrine of “gradualism.”
http://blazingcatfur.blogspot.ca/2013/07/popular-muslim-imam-working-towards.html
Yea, and………..
“Brotherhood ouster in Egypt may clear way for stricter Islamists” – LA Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-egypt-nour-20130705,0,5784510.story
Well it seems the anti-Assad forces are now fighting and killing each other.
The secualar FSA is engaged in deadly scurmishes with the much stronger Al Qaida affiliates funded by Kuwait and Qatar….versus the Iran backed Hezbollah/Shiites/Allewites….
Damn ya need a script to keep ’em all straight.