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Jewish World Review Nov. 28, 2012/ 14 Kislev, 5773 Egypt's 'moderate' despot By Jonah Goldberg
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | What do you call a leader of a theocratic and cultish movement with a deep and clear disdain for democracy who suddenly assumes dictatorial powers? A "moderate," of course. Ever since the Muslim Brotherhood broke its promise to stay out of Much as the Nazis brilliantly cast themselves as reformers sweeping away the corruption of the In August, when Islamists attacked Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai (in an apparent effort to force "Are we looking at a president determined to dismantle the machine of tyranny," Morsi proceeded to purge scores of newspaper editors and publishers, declare himself in charge of the drafting of the new constitution and all but wore a sandwich board with the words "I'm becoming a dictator!" on it. As if to hammer it home, last week Morsi announced that his rule was immune to judicial oversight of any kind. He used the failure of the courts to adequately punish Mubarak-era holdovers as an excuse. It was just that -- an excuse, not an explanation. Morsi softened his language Monday, but aides insisted his edict stood. And the Brotherhood's position remains clear. "If democracy means that people decide who leads them, then (we) accept it; if it means that people can change the laws of Allah and follow what they wish to follow, then it is not acceptable," the Brotherhood explained on its website in 2005. Before Morsi was announced the winner of June's election, the Brotherhood massed in Morsi did have another excuse for seizing power last week: The timing was good. Because he helped broker a cease-fire between On the But that's exactly what many still believe. For instance, on Bear in mind that even as Morsi was pocketing praise from the West for yanking Apparently, "moderation" in the On Monday, in response to protests, Morsi met with members of the judiciary. Some reports say he walked-back his declaration of supremacy, but that is far from clear. He reaffirmed that the courts cannot veto the constitution being written by Morsi's Islamist pets. Is there any doubt that the constitution will ratify Morsi's dictatorship? Morsi went to prison to defend the Muslim Brotherhood's Islamist ideology. He rose through its ranks not because he was a moderate, but because he was committed to the cause and knew how to play the game. The stakes of the game have changed, but anyone who thinks he's not still committed to the cause is getting played.
© 2006 TMS |
Arnold Ahlert | |||||||||||||
