Jan

29

Picking Sides in Egypt

Filed Under Politics, Religion, World News | 19 Comments

It can tempting to look at an uprising against an oppressive government and automatically take the side of the protesters — the students in Tiananmen Square or the pro-democracy marchers in Iran for example — but in Egypt, the nature of the uprising is a little different.

Here’s John Bolton on the Muslim Brotherhood that is behind the uprising in Egypt:

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.

And I think there is substantial reason, for example, to worry the minority Coptic Christian population, about 10% of the population will be very worried if the Muslim Brotherhood came to power.

Let’s be clear what the stakes are for the United States. We have an authoritarian regime in power that has been our ally. We don’t know at this point what the real alternatives are.

In a democracy and freedom sense, that says “the enemy you’re allies with is better than the enemy you don’t know.” Don’t automatically support a movement for no other reason than that they want to get rid of Mubarak, lest we reaffirm the old adage “be careful what you ask for.”

Did you hear Joe Biden say that Hosni Mubarak is not a dictator? Not at all! Mubarak is just a leader who has held onto power by force for 30 years and autonomously decides to shut down lines of communications when that power is threatened — but definitely not a dictator.

As far as Obama’s reaction to all this, the “Tweet of the Week” winner is here.

Update: China has blocked the search term “Egypt”:

China has blocked the word “Egypt” from the country’s wildly popular Twitter-like service, while coverage of the political turmoil has been tightly restricted in state media.

China’s ruling Communist Party is sensitive to any potential source of social unrest.

Given the similarities between China and Egypt’s social policies, Mubarak might be wondering when he’s going to get a state dinner at the White House.

(h/t Michelle M)

Comments

19 Responses to “Picking Sides in Egypt”

  1. ReaganiteGOPer on January 29th, 2011 1:00 pm

    The Tunisian protests that inspired uprisings in Egypt, Gaza, and Yemen were NO Velvet Revolution with Vaclav Havel, either- more like a symptom of worrying Islamicization. While the corrupt, brutal Mubarak regime has little to commend it outside of stability, the alternative is likely to be no improvement.

    And in charge of the strategic Suez Canal?

    A lot of people rooting for the wrong side in this one, imo…
    http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com…

  2. Zilla on January 29th, 2011 1:58 pm

    Anything out of Barry should not be "Tweet of the Week", but "Tweet of the WEAK".

    I don't think any good will come from this, and I do believe that a lot of the turmoil we're witnessing is do to the fact that America no longer has a presence in the world of strong leadership and friend of those who yearn for freedom. Islamists are feeling bold, and with good reason, because the United States under Barry is no threat to them whatsoever.

    No, there is no decent 'side' to pick, not when the choice is tyranny or islamic tyranny. Those poor Copts are in danger no matter who is running the show given the two choices.

  3. ReaganiteGOPer on January 29th, 2011 2:53 pm

    More than just "Obama's Fault"… he helped plan it!

    Obama Secretly Schemed with Egyptian Opposition
    for "Regime Change"… for Three Years!

  4. Freedom's Lighthouse » Must Read: “Picking Sides in Egypt,” by Doug Powers – 1/29/11 on January 29th, 2011 3:21 pm

    [...] of the situation in Egypt posted by Doug Powers today over at The Powers that Be. His post, Picking Sides in Egypt, points out that the nature of the uprising in Egypt may not be what you think. [...]

  5. Clu Seatoe on January 29th, 2011 4:06 pm

    As I look at the pictures coming in from Egypt and Tunisia one of the things that becomes clear is what the religion of peace demands is for its practitioners. That is, get out there where the rocks and bullets are flying while the cadre of leadership cowards drink and smoke and sit in another part of town or just across the borders or even on the other side of the world with his nose in the air and saying nothing more than, …can’t we all just get along, be nice, be nice.

    Then when it quiets down a little bit the cowards will come out into the open to make a speech, stoke the fires to build up the anger again, and disappear again into the alleyways behind the barriers and doors. It’s religious Jessie Jackson-ism, it’s religious Al Sharpton-ism, it’s religious Mao Tse Bama-ism, and it’s religious Stalinism.

    This is what their demonic god requires. Don’t be fooled, these demonic gods are real.

  6. libhomo on January 29th, 2011 10:46 pm

    John Bolton is such a crackpot. I am amazed anyone takes him seriously.

  7. SignPainterGuy on January 29th, 2011 10:53 pm

    "Tweet of the Weak", So right ! You could add "and Deceitful" to that !

    Given the choice between "islamic tyranny" and your plain ol` run-of -the-mill "tyranny", as long as it provides the kind of semi-predictable stability we got from the old model, give me the good ol` "run-of-the-mill-tyranny" every time !!

  8. SignPainterGuy on January 29th, 2011 10:54 pm

    Very real indeed AND very dangerous as well !

  9. SignPainterGuy on January 29th, 2011 10:57 pm

    Prepare to be amazed then, `cause I think very highly of the man ! He deserves a position of much influence in the upcoming conservative administration !

    SO THERE !!

  10. Doug on January 29th, 2011 11:17 pm

    I often hear people calling Bolton a crackpot but I don't hear nearly as many presenting a reasonable case as to why. Ditto for above.

    Besides, check out the dude's blog — not much in a position to call anybody else a crackpot. Still pushing the "Jared Loughner had far right political views" bull.

    http://www.godlessliberalhomo.blogspot.com/

  11. SignPainterGuy on January 29th, 2011 11:26 pm

    Thanks Doug ! Aside from having a most enviable "moose-stache", John Bolton is a very wise, clear thinking man !

    As for the link, I`m not clicking it, don`t want his counter to record another "hit" !

  12. OK_Loyalist on January 29th, 2011 11:55 pm

    Liberal homos are crackpots, so what's your point ?

  13. SignPainterGuy on January 30th, 2011 12:30 am

    What was it you said the other day ? Oh yeah, "Sweet and to the point !"

  14. OK_Loyalist on January 30th, 2011 12:38 am

    I just thought maybe we were going to get a "it takes one to know one" moment

  15. SignPainterGuy on January 30th, 2011 1:36 am

    Libs are often that childish !

  16. Clu Seatoe on January 30th, 2011 3:32 am

    The blog hits may get counted but it’s the hits who reply that count. Four fingers for the total count while the index finger closes the tab.

  17. SignPainterGuy on January 30th, 2011 4:04 am

    :-)

  18. "Experts: Mubarak, Muslim Brotherhood aren’t Egypt’s only choice" and related posts « Google News « Big Tony's Big Network on January 30th, 2011 6:17 am

    [...] Picking Sides in Egypt - The Powers That Be [...]

  19. Chris Taus on February 1st, 2011 6:07 am

    Allowing the Muslim Brotherhoo­d would be a huge and game changing mistake. It is truly chilling to think that Egypt could wind up controlled by a group that has long and deep ties to terrorism, counts known terrorists among its influentia­l members, and has an agenda that embraces and accepts violent Jihad against any who defy Islam as a reasonable and just means to spreading militant Islam. This group has made very clear thier intentions and goals of Sharia as the dominant form of Law and Governance­, and desire to install Islam into dominance over all of the mideast and eventually the world.

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