With tanks deployed in the streets of Cairo, following clashes that have left at least half a dozen people dead, it is obvious that the political turmoil which forced Hosni Mubarak out of office has returned. Mohamed Morsi, Mubarak’s successor, has no one to blame but himself for these street clashes. They are a direct response to what is widely seen as his extra-constitutional grab for power and his tendency to demonize his opponents in inflammatory language by claiming they are former regime stooges.
Morsi’s process of consolidating authority is set to continue in just nine days’ time if the referendum he has scheduled on a hastily cobbled together new constitution is still held. The constitution, based on the existing one that justified decades of dictatorial rule, is full of amorphous language that secularists and Coptic Christians fear could inaugurate a new tyranny by the Muslim Brotherhood. It certainly does nothing to change the military’s unaccountable position, outside of political control—something that can be good or bad depending on whether the military sees its role as shepherding in secular democracy (as in Turkey) or serving as enforcers for the Islamists in power (as in Iran).
The encouraging news of recent days is that the political opposition is not going quietly—it is protesting not only in the streets but with some newspapers suspending publication temporarily, judges speaking out, and even some of Morsi’s own aides resigning in protest. It is far from clear where these clashes are heading: are we seeing another Egyptian revolution or (more likely) protests that will be put down?
Whatever the case, the U.S. position is clear–or ought to be: We must stand with the democrats in Egypt by insisting on checks and balances in the political system and more moderate rule from Morsi. So far President Obama has been extremely cautious in making his views clear. This is not necessarily wrong—speaking out in public can make it harder to apply private pressure to Morsi. But whatever tactics he chooses to employ, Obama cannot simply sit by and allow the Egyptian revolution to be undermined. With our billions of dollars of military and economic aid to Egypt, the U.S. has an important say in what happens. Doing nothing isn’t an option—that signals support for the status quo. Obama must use what leverage he has to press Morsi to create a more liberal government, not a new dictatorship.
Wouldn't it be nice if Obama were to respond to the pleas of the downtrodden Arab masses crying out for freedom by declaring, "Morsi must go!" n nNaaah.
Why? Were we not scolded that Egyptians' vote is sacred, right or wrong good or bad? Obama spent reportedly $275 million on the democratic seculars there who got their heads handed to them in the first round of voting with barely 9% of the vote. The Egyptian people voted for totalitarianism instead. If we did make some lame rhetorical half hearted effort at 'support' it's the Egyptians who don't support them. And why should they? What would this democratic mob do with these vague powers they're protesting except yet more rioting and calling for someone somewhere to get their head on a pike? What's the point when the people you think you want to help hate you as much as the people they're protesting and if they ever got power would be just as horrible if not worse?
If there were good guys, we should be on the side of the good guys. However they are all bad guys, hating us, our ideals, principles and tolerance so let them kill each other. It's not our fight.
"Obama cannot simply sit by and allow the Egyptian revolution to be undermined. " Insightful comments like this must be why they pay Max the big bucks.
_Obama wasn't very quiet about "Mubarak must go". Obama brought Morsi to power. Obama and Clinton are bringing the Muslim Brotherhood to power everywhere in the Middle East. Obama is undermining Israel everywhere. The reelection of the incompetent,and malevolant Marxist is a curse on the United States.