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AMB. JOHN BOLTON: Is Democracy Coming to Egypt at Last?
Fox News ^ | 28 January 2011 | John Bolton (Interview)

Posted on 01/28/2011 11:48:36 AM PST by The Pack Knight

As seen on Fox News Channel's "Happening Now with Jon Scott and Jenna Lee" on January 28.

FORMER U.N. AMBASSADOR JOHN BOLTON: I think what's clearly happened today [in Egypt] is that the Muslim Brotherhood, the radical Islamist party in Egypt has called it's supporters into the street. I don't think it was present on the first two or three days.

I think after the Friday prayers the Brotherhood brought its people out. That's why the protests are even more extensive today. That constitutes no doubt about it a direct threat to the military government, and I think the failure of the other security forces to bring the demonstrations under control also now explains the presence of the military.

Let me be clear here, this is not just the Mubarak-family government. The military has ruled Egypt since Gamal Nasser and they over through King Farook.

It's the military that is the real government and they are not going to go peacefully.

I think the question is whether and to what extent the Muslim Brotherhood and radical Islamists have infiltrated the leadership. If the military holds firm it's entirely possible, although bloody, that the government can hold onto power. That doesn't necessarily mean Mubarak will be in power, but the military will be, and I think that is why this contrast makes it so important for people to understand, this is not a choice between the Mubarak government on one hand, and sweetness and light, Jeffersonian democracy on the other.

I don't think we have evidence yet that these demonstrations are necessarily about democracy. You know the old saying, "one person, one vote, one time." The Muslim Brotherhood doesn't care about democracy, if they get into power you're not going to have free and fair elections either.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bolton; egypt; egyptcrisis; johnbolton; mubarak; muslimbrotherhood
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To: The Pack Knight

I remember all of the democracy that the student riots brought to Iran in 1979.


21 posted on 01/28/2011 12:02:17 PM PST by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: The Pack Knight
Bolton is spot on.

No, Bolton is clueless as usual. He and his neo-con allies have supported tax aid to these dicatators for years. Now...we are suffering the blowback and he, and his ilk, have no way for us to respond.

22 posted on 01/28/2011 12:03:50 PM PST by Captain Kirk (Q)
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To: Deb

Look rather for Israel to extend its massive walls on the Egypt/Israel borders. Since the walls have been built on the West Bank area, no terror attacks. Plus also Israel has high tech arms and that includes nukes. I see A LOT of Ezekial 38-39 here.


23 posted on 01/28/2011 12:04:36 PM PST by Biggirl ("The Best Of Times, The Worse Of Times", Charles Dickens)
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To: Regulator

Did you read the article? Bolton seems to pretty much agree with you.


24 posted on 01/28/2011 12:05:08 PM PST by The Pack Knight (Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Weep, and the world laughs at you.)
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To: Biggirl

Israel should be rolling their tanks into the Sinai right now.


25 posted on 01/28/2011 12:05:12 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: Captain Kirk

Very simplistic view. We did the best w/ the hand dealt us. Short of conquering their country what more would you suggest? In the end you have to make the best of your situation and I think we did mostly. The changes occurring now will require the same. To imply the MB will bring democracy is outlandish. If they have their way Egypt will become an Iranian satellite state. Who do you think is orchestrating the mayhem in the ME??


26 posted on 01/28/2011 12:05:26 PM PST by 556x45
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To: The Pack Knight
I think we have a lot to worry about as Egypt could easily be taken over by Muslim radicals much like Iran after the Shah. To have another large and militarily powerful Middle Eastern country taken over by a radical Muslim theocracy would be disastrous for the west and especially Israel
27 posted on 01/28/2011 12:06:48 PM PST by The Great RJ (The Bill of Rights: Another bill members of Congress haven't read.)
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To: Captain Kirk

If Israel and the US had bombed the crap out of Iran’s nuclear program, this would not be happening.


28 posted on 01/28/2011 12:08:09 PM PST by blackdog
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To: 556x45

The puppets are all connected to Iranian strings.


29 posted on 01/28/2011 12:09:30 PM PST by blackdog
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To: b4its2late
And this is why Saudi's wanted Iran's regime bombed 24/7 for three months. It keeps the balance.

The Saudi's are $hit scared right now. They know they come next.

30 posted on 01/28/2011 12:11:05 PM PST by blackdog
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To: The Pack Knight
Some here apparently only read the headline and the posted portion of this article. Bolton is not predicting that these riots will lead to democracy.

I think there is a lot of opposition to the regime and a lot of opposition by the Muslim Brotherhood that is determined to bring down this secular military government, and install one of very harsh Sharia law, which would have enormous implications for the United States, for Israel, for other Arab governments in the region.

He's observing so far, and NOT predicting.

31 posted on 01/28/2011 12:13:14 PM PST by Will88
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To: blackdog

Iran’s nuclear program has been setback by a computer virus for at least 3 years not that long ago by Isreal.


32 posted on 01/28/2011 12:17:15 PM PST by Biggirl ("The Best Of Times, The Worse Of Times", Charles Dickens)
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To: 556x45
I think an argument can be made that somewhere along the line the US tried to supplant its covert capabilities to affect world events with the international expansion of the domestic welfare model - bureaucrats think everyone is just like them and can be bought if the right price is named.

Well it just ain't true. Most folks will accept the money with both hands while hating your guts for giving it to them.

33 posted on 01/28/2011 12:18:36 PM PST by skeeter
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To: blackdog

Dominoes........


34 posted on 01/28/2011 12:19:55 PM PST by b4its2late (Ignorance allows liberalism to prosper.)
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To: blackdog

“The Saudi’s are $hit scared right now. They know they come next.”

That’s the endgame, isn’t it. At least some of those empty mansions in Beverly Hills will fill up.

I kind of like the sound of it: “The Saudi Diaspora.”


35 posted on 01/28/2011 12:20:50 PM PST by ModelBreaker
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To: The Pack Knight

Prophecy in the making! Get ready for either the rapture or a going through a tribulation period....Times are upon us and a line has been drawn in the sand. Choose you this day who you will serve! I chose to serve the only true God, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Will he find a remnant of faithful believers? Yes! For it is IN HIM who I trust and solely in Him do I but my trust and fix my eyes on my Lord, Jesus! Protect your beloved children oh Savior and engulf us with holy faith to endure the times that will come from hell itself.


36 posted on 01/28/2011 12:21:24 PM PST by RoseofTexas
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To: edpc

Lebanon is a good model for what I’m worried will happen in Egypt. The Lebanese revolted to throw Syria out of their country, but the end result was essentially a Hezbollah takeover.

In Egypt, even if the majority of the protesters genuinely want democracy (which may well be the case), the Muslim Brotherhood will probably be able to use the chaos for their own ends. Jihadist movements are very good at co-opting rebellions that were originally based on secular grievances. In a lot of ways, it’s similar to what fascist and communist movements were able to do in the last century.


37 posted on 01/28/2011 12:21:57 PM PST by The Pack Knight (Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Weep, and the world laughs at you.)
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To: Will88

Yeah, I tried to include enough in the excerpt to make clear that Bolton’s answer to the question posed in the headline is “no”. Evidently, it wasn’t enough.


38 posted on 01/28/2011 12:24:13 PM PST by The Pack Knight (Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Weep, and the world laughs at you.)
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To: Biggirl

Islam is not even interested in high yield nukes. They just want fissile material. Dirty bombs would be fine. Nobody can broadcast news footage of a yigh yield nuclear ordinance blast @ 10,000 feet AGL. The landscape becomes something else. They want thousands of half walking dead victims puking their internal organs out to show the glory of Allah against his enemies, and the film crews to shoot it.


39 posted on 01/28/2011 12:24:36 PM PST by blackdog
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To: The Pack Knight

You’re right. They will suffer the same fate as Lebanon if they allow this type of cancer into their governing process.


40 posted on 01/28/2011 12:24:44 PM PST by edpc (It's Kräusened)
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