It is hard to criticise those brave people in Tunisia and Egypt and elsewhere in the arab world who are confronting the dictators and generals. The only problem is what comes after the secular dictators are gone? The moslem brotherhood is waiting in the wings, organised and ready to take power through the ballot box as we have seen repeatedly in the recent past.
In 1979 the people supported by the secular mujahideen toppled the Shah of Iran with the support of the US under president Carter. What happened was that shortly afterwards the ayatollahs let loose their legions of islamic troops on those brave people who had fought for democracy, slaughtered many thousands of those democracy activists, and we have today that theocratic state of Iran that whips, rapes and hangs women, gays and anyone else who the regime finds fault with. That regime in its race for nuclear weapons is igniting an arms race in the middle-east, among as we see are very unstable regimes. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi-Arabia and Algeria all have nuclear programmes which are being stepped up.
Lebanon has now a prime ministerNajib Mikati who represents Hezbollah, the long arm of Iran, and Hamas had an election in January 2005 with next election supposed to have been in July 2010. With those elections now getting on for a couple of years overdue, it is hard not to believe that those islamists who are so into human rights and democracy when in opposition, really believe in one man, one vote, one time.
The moslem brotherhood in Egypt of which Hamas in Gaza are an offshoot have lain pretty low recently, keeping their strategic interests to the fore in not taking over the running of the protests so as not to ruin the chances of bringing an end to Mubarak's regime (with US and Europe's support). But the long term goals of the moslem brotherhood have not changed, to bring an islamic regime to Egypt, preferably through the ballot box on the way to the great caliphate (most likely not by way of the ballot box).
The moslem brotherhood in Egypt of which Hamas in Gaza are an offshoot have lain pretty low recently, keeping their strategic interests to the fore in not taking over the running of the protests so as not to ruin the chances of bringing an end to Mubarak's regime (with US and Europe's support). But the long term goals of the moslem brotherhood have not changed, to bring an islamic regime to Egypt, preferably through the ballot box on the way to the great caliphate (most likely not by way of the ballot box).
A recent leader of the moslem brotherhood made clear its long-term goals:
"The Islamic Ummah['s]...rightful position which was intended by Allah, [is] the most exalted nation among men, as the leaders of humanity....Jihad [is] not only for the purpose of fending-off assaults and attacks of Allah's enemies from Muslims, but are also for the purpose of realizing the great task of establishing an Islamic state and strengthening the religion and spreading it around the world..."
Mustafa Mashhur, Jihad Is The Way, (Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader, 1996-2002)
As Rubin shows, the muslim brotherhood is anything but moderate or exhausted or democtratic. In a recent speech the Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Muhammad Badi shows the Brotherhood as bigoted as ever, and as intent as ever on bringing down western oriented governments (starting with their own), on ending peace between Egypt and Israel, on bringing down the Palestinina Authority and replacing it with the islamists of Hamas who have been responsible for bombings and killings of christians in Gaza. If Hamas takes control of the Palestinian Authority territories in Judea and Samaria then the days of the christian community will be as numbered there as it is in Iraq (Even under the PA chrisitians have been leaving Bethlehem at an alarming rate in recent years due to the discrimination there, not unsimilar to other arab regimes such as in Egypt whereby pork was forbidden on 'health' grounds last year)
As Rubin shows, the muslim brotherhood is anything but moderate or exhausted or democtratic. In a recent speech the Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Muhammad Badi shows the Brotherhood as bigoted as ever, and as intent as ever on bringing down western oriented governments (starting with their own), on ending peace between Egypt and Israel, on bringing down the Palestinina Authority and replacing it with the islamists of Hamas who have been responsible for bombings and killings of christians in Gaza. If Hamas takes control of the Palestinian Authority territories in Judea and Samaria then the days of the christian community will be as numbered there as it is in Iraq (Even under the PA chrisitians have been leaving Bethlehem at an alarming rate in recent years due to the discrimination there, not unsimilar to other arab regimes such as in Egypt whereby pork was forbidden on 'health' grounds last year)
Islamic extremism is an extreme threat to those democracy activists. Ignoring the Moslem Brotherhood will only lead to their takeover of the budding democracies in the arab world. Once the islamist have taken over they will crush the democratic opposition, promote new wars in the middle east, undermine western interests and promote new terror outrages in the west.
We must support the democratic groups in the arab world, but with caution. Change needs to be managed, allowing democratic institutions to emerge that are strong and able to counterbalance the islamic organisations who know very well that the way to success at the ballot box is through well funded grassroots campaigning, not least through efficient social and medical organisations.
Obama sacrifices all its allies. Why not Egypt Israel and Lebanon? The French understood that the US is not consistant and built its own nuclear deterrent so that they would be able to defend themselves. If the west wants to defend itself from the jihadists it won't get its lead from the amaericans.
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