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| Re: Egypt Revolts! Looks like we have more Military Rule, not Democracy (951370) | |||
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Re: Egypt Revolts! Looks like we have more Military Rule, not Democracy |
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Posted by ClearAspect on Tue Jun 19 19:11:05 2012, in response to Re: Egypt Revolts! Looks like we have more Military Rule, not Democracy, posted by WMATAGMOAGH on Tue Jun 19 02:46:05 2012. "No country maintains a foreign policy that possibly results in that country going to war or being wiped off the face of the earth. This is a point that Olog and I actually agree on, foreign policies serve the interests of the country that is setting its own policy. One can debate whether a specific policy is actually beneficial, but you cannot deny the risks at stake for Israel with the Muslim Brotherhood running the show in Egypt. Should the US begin to recognize terrorist governments such as that of Hamas in Gaza because the people in Gaza voted for that government? By your logic, the answer seems to be yes. Are the Americans hypocritical and no longer a beacon of freedom and democracy because the US government doesn't recognize the democratically elected government within the Gaza Strip?"Using the Gaza strip is bad because the palestinians are divided between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank so you have two voices speaking for what is supposed to be one state and neither technically respect each other. Then you go on a notion about War, do you honestly think that Egypt with the Muslim Brotherhood would want to go to War with Israel? Their nation is broke, wars cost money, military equipment costs money and they know if they go to war there would be economic and political sanctions and they risk isolating their nation and causing a huge refugee crisis. It wouldn't take much for Israel to win that war, מלחמת ששת הימים, ring a bell? A war would be devastating and for a rebuilding Egypt even with the Muslim Brotherhood at the helm it would be in their best interests to foster relations with the west for IMF and other international funds to rebuild their nation especially if they don't they risk a coup from the military or another uprising from the people. Muslim Brotherhood needs stability and economic recovery, a war would be counter to both, even the most hardline pressed islamist in Egypt knows that. When fear is set aside and common sense prevails it makes sense. Want proof? That is why Iran for all its talk, about how much it hates Israel has yet to fire a single missile in its direction (directly not through proxy groups ala Hezbollah), and thats been the situation since the 70s! Same thing with Syria.... worst comes to worst the biggest fear would be that the MB would use proxy groups or open the floodgates for weapons but that also comes to the risk for starting a war with Israel which again is not in Egypt's best interest especially since the military is keen on not respecting the MBs authority. If you're worried about whether attacking Egypt would spark a larger confrontation with Iran, I say look at when Israel went to war with Hezbollah and everyone feared a larger conflict but it remained localized so Iran isn't keen on justifying an Israeli strike on their nation so any conflict with Egypt would likely stay localized. Israel is still a beacon of freedom and democracy, the religious establishment does not have unilateral control over most governmental affairs on a daily basis and religious law does not rule the land. There are fair and free elections on a regular basis. People protests and are outspoken against the government. Minorities can vote and have political representation. Many of those things aren't happening in Egypt, because as you rightly point out, we are only 18 months in. But when an organization that first maintained it wouldn't field candidates and thinks that Egypt should be governed by religious laws wins a majority of the seats in parliament (and doesn't play by the rules to do it), do you really feel that good about the odds of those those defining aspects of democracy that exist in Israel today showing up in Egypt in the near future? I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'd love to be wrong and can admit it when I am, but I think I have quite a bit of reason for being concerned that I might be right. Israel by definition and by the actions of the government to its people are true of a real democracy, however its foreign policy is counter to it. Especially with the use of things like White Phosphorus, bulldozing houses, and illegal settlements (under international law). It was fine that Mubarek was doing what he was doing because there was security, in other words Israel turned a blind eye to what was happening INSIDE egypt because they got the peace treaty. However even if the Brotherhood came to power Israel wouldn't face the doomsday scenario you think might happen and the article you posted said it best "I think they will be very careful not to dismantle it. These uprisings have nothing to do with Israel. Israel isn’t the reason, and Israel isn’t the solution." Perhaps by being more vocal and supportive of freedom and democracy in Egypt perhaps you might be able to keep the treaty and secure the borders with Egypt even with the Muslim Brotherhood in power. You managed to get a treaty with a dictator... so how hard can it be? |
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