This issue looks at “What next for the Muslim Brotherhood?”
SINCE YOU ASKED
With the military in control in Egypt, a “panel of experts” is being put together to figure out how to amend the country”s constitution so that democratic elections can be held later this year. The eight-member committee includes a Christian Supreme Court judge and is to be headed by Tereq el-Bishri, a widely respected former judge and scholar who moved from the left to become a spokesman for the more moderate wing of the Egyptian Islamic community. Sounds good so far, right? Well, the committee also includes Sobhi Saleh, a former lawmaker from the Muslim Brotherhood. Remember what I have been saying about democracy in the Middle-East? When the people are given a voice, the best organized groups will find a way to seize control, if not all at once, gradually. So who is the best organized entity vying for a seat at Egypt”s table? The Muslim Brotherhood.
The argument has been that since Egypt”s constitution bans religious parties, the MB”s power was limited. Where there”s a will there”s a way, and the MB has always found a way. It has been so successful in running “independent” candidates for parliament that in 2005, it won 20% of the seats. It was pushed out completely in the most recent elections,
but it will undoubtedly return. How will it return? It recently announced that it will do so by creating a new political party once freer laws are in place. It has assured the world that it has no interest in running a candidate in the upcoming elections since its only goal is solidarity, unity, and national consensus.
AS I SEE IT
If you believe that the MB is only interested in national unity, you must be a newcomer to my blogs. The MB has clearly stated its goals. Its charter calls for the creation of an Islamic state in Egypt. What more does the world need to know? The MB has learned how to make democracy work for them. If they”ve done it in America, they should have no trouble doing it in Egypt, especially with the support of the Obama administration. Through the “Alliance of Youth Movements,” our State Department has been deeply involved in many of the “spontaneous” uprisings throughout the Middle-east and North Africa. Look for more ties being uncovered between the MB and our own government.
I am not big on conspiracy theories, so I”m not prone to jump on the latest controversial bandwagon without evidence. Listen closely to the words of the MB spokesmen and those of our own “leaders” and draw your own conclusions.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
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