Comments on: The rock, or the hard place? https://dfarq.homeip.net/the-rock-or-the-hard-place/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-rock-or-the-hard-place David L. Farquhar, computer security professional, train hobbyist, and landlord Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:33:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: BGrigg https://dfarq.homeip.net/the-rock-or-the-hard-place/#comment-6381 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:33:00 +0000 https://dfarq.homeip.net/?p=2983#comment-6381 It may be that the MB is comprising a small visible part, but as a political entity that has been banned since the Revolution in the 50’s, they are somewhere close to the source of the revolt. Hopefully, “regular” people will march in the streets, but history in the Middle East shows a depressing trend towards brutal dictatorship, rather than free elections.

Perhaps Eqypt will prove me wrong, and that is my sincere hope. I’m just not very hopeful about it.

One does not need to be Jewish to run for office in Israel, the Knesset has quite a number of Muslim members.

Many countries can be called enthocracies, why even the US demands that in order to run for President, you must be a US born citizen. This is usual in the EU, as well.

]]> By: Bill James https://dfarq.homeip.net/the-rock-or-the-hard-place/#comment-6376 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 08:47:27 +0000 https://dfarq.homeip.net/?p=2983#comment-6376 To my sensibilities it seems a stretch to call Israel a Democracy when Ethnocracy would seem to be more accurate. And I would also question the talking heads of U.S. media awarding much status to the Muslim Brotherhood regarding Egypts current revolt and yes I know what Mubarak is saying as the U.S. debates policy and support moving forward. This is a widespread revolt from which the Brotherhood in reality, comprises a rather small component.

Begin reading: Egypt’s Class Conflict | Informed Comment

Also: Egypt forbids Protests a Day after it was Shaken by Thousands of Demonstrators, 3 Killed | Informed Comment – “The rallies protested the high unemployment rate, high price of food, and long years of ‘emergency rule’ by President Hosni Mubarak, under regulations that suspend most civil and human rights on grounds of national security.”

Note that both links point to Juan Coles’ Informed Comment: Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion, which is one of the better resources in my opinion.

]]> By: BGrigg https://dfarq.homeip.net/the-rock-or-the-hard-place/#comment-6373 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 04:59:16 +0000 https://dfarq.homeip.net/?p=2983#comment-6373 Unfortunately, the Egyptian revolution is not being driven by freedom loving people, but rather the Muslim Brotherhood, who support Hamas (hardly an indicator of democracy) and Al Qaeda (ditto). I suspect what will happen in Eqypt will be eerily similar to the overthrow of the Shah in Iran. The Shah, while a brutal dictator, was in reality far, far better for Iran, and the world, than the Ayatollah. Don’t forget that the Ayatollah was “elected” in a supposedly democratic election, blessed by Jimmy Carter. The truth was that democracy was tossed aside and an even more brutal regime was put into place.

This does not bode well for Israel, which as screwed up as it is, is in fact the only true democratic government in the entire mid-East.

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