Posted on 02/02/2011 2:24:15 PM PST by dervish
Egypt's leader has gambled that he can ride out the protests and hold on. It's a pretty good gamble.
'snip'
Like everyone else, you've been "listening" to Egyptians marching through the streets and telling you it's time to go. That's an opinion they'll likely revise after a few more neighborhoods in Cairo and Alexandria are ransacked, looted and torched by gangs of hooligans.
But you haven't just been listening to the demonstrators. You've also been watching them—the way they dress, the way they shave. On Sunday, in Tahrir Square, you could tell right away that most were from the Muslim Brotherhood, though they were taking care not to chant the usual Islamic slogans. And Western liberals want you to relinquish power to them?
'snip'
If the Brotherhood has its way, Egypt will become a Sunni theocracy modeled on Iran.
'snip'
this analysis is becoming plainer by the day to many Egyptians, especially since Mr. ElBaradei, imagining he has the upper hand, stumbled into a political alliance with the Brotherhood... it's in your hands to blur the "fine line between freedom and chaos," ... to give Egyptians a long, hard look at the latter. It wasn't by your cunning design that thousands of violent prisoners made a jailbreak last week. The decision to take police off the streets was done in the interests of avoiding bloody scenes with protesters.
All the same, the anarchy unleashed on Egyptian streets played straight into your hands. The demonstrators want a freedom that looks like London or Washington...
No wonder the mood among Cairo's shopkeepers, many of whom supported the initial demonstrations, is turning sharply in your favor.
'snip'
So you're right to order the army not to fire: The last thing you need is to furnish the protesters with a galvanizing event
'snip'
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Murbarak’s decision not to seek another term should partially defuse the situation. There is no telling how this will turn out.
Two things work in Mubarak’s favor.
1) US/Obama demands for an “orderly” transition. Same situation as Iraq peacekeeping. No matter how much the locals are in need of help, they will despise an outsider projecting power or demands over proceedings.
2)Muslim Brotherhood’s announcement that the country should prepare for a war with Israel. Egypt has many things that other Islamic states do not - including money and education. It is not hard to assume that the majority of Egyptians have higher hopes than being converted to cannon fodder in a religious suicide mission. They are not rioting for sharia and jihad.
I belive that Mubarak will persist in power through the end of the year if he makes it through the weekend. Middle Eastern leaders tend to stay in place until the bitter end rather than retreat into exile.
Is Bret Stephens the only one who knows that the shaved protesters are from the brotherhood? Remarkable.
He did not say “the shaved protestors.” He said “the way they shaved.”
Do you think it not possible to recognize the MB by appearance?
Bret Stephens is the former EIC of the Jerusalem Post. I’m sure he has a lot of contacts in the know in Israel who are avidly watching the crowds.
To Westerners even walking on the streets of Israel, many Jews and Muslims look alike. But Israelis can see a difference.
I myself have noticed certain things about the crowd — no women really standing out in contrast to the protests in Iran.
I agree, 9 more months make sense. But arm meanwhile, in case he doesn’t leave.
2-3 day revolutions, IMO, are too dangerous
“If Obama has his way, Egypt will become a Sunni theocracy modeled on Iran. “
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Is that a pro Mubarak protestor?
Excellent, thanks dervish!
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