The scenes from Cairo's Tahrir Square have served to inspire observers from around the world, as a people-powered revolution used nonviolent protest as a means to end the 30 year rule of Hosni Mubarak. With their newfound freedoms, come new responsibilities. In the coming weeks, the U.S. must closely monitor Egyptian commitments to Israel through the Camp David Peace Accord, the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood, and national security concerns related to counter terrorism in the region. If asked, the U.S. should stand ready to help Egypt's democrats, not only because it's the right thing to do, but because it is in our core national security and economic interests.
While Egypt is in for an extended period of uncertainty, the early signs of democratic reform are encouraging. The military has taken over and has made steps to commit Egypt to a democratic path which will result in elections. The constitution, a document that provided the legal basis for Mubarak's extended stay in power has been suspended. The parliament, the result of fraudulent elections last November, has been dismissed. Most importantly, the military has expressed a commitment to maintaining the Camp David Peace Accord with Israel. This is a central concern for the U.S. and I sent a letter Secretary Clinton reiterating this point last week.
As Egyptians sort out their political process in the revolution's aftermath, I have concerns that democratic gains made by courageous activists on the streets could be hijacked by a small minority, not committed to the principles of non-violence or respect for secular voices.
The Muslim Brotherhood played a small role in the demonstrations, preferring to take a back seat to the courageous young activists who braved the police barricades, tear gas and rubber bullets. It has pledged allegiance to the army during the transition and asserts that it will not run a candidate in the presidential elections. Observers note that the group is nonviolent, a claim that will be tested in the coming months and years. In Mubarak's Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood would have been smashed to pieces if it even hinted at the use of violence.
The U.S. would be well served to treat this group with a serious degree of skepticism. The Brotherhood is openly hostile to Israel. Given its history and nefarious connections across the region to groups like Hamas, the burden of proof is on the Brotherhood as it seeks to engage in the political process. It must show that it would indeed abide by the Camp David Peace Accord, that violence is not a legitimate form of expression and that the Egyptian people deserve a secular government that provides for freedoms of expression, religion, and assembly.
The Brotherhood should also recognize that these demonstrators, not them, were successful in ending the rule of Egypt's entrenched leader. If Egypt's youth could unseat Mubarak, the Muslim Brotherhood could meet the same ire from the masses.
One evening last July, I met at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Cairo with a group of civil society activists who advocated for a more open political system in Egypt. They shared first-hand accounts of police brutality, election rigging and repression. At the same time, they shared a vision of a democratic Egypt. In our meeting, these activists were somewhat disorganized and disagreed about the opposition tactics -- a microcosm of the democratic process in action -- but they were highly intelligent, eager to engage with the international community and committed to a democratic Egypt. Given the time to organize and appeal to a broader public, democratically-oriented political parties and activists will emerge in Egypt that could blunt the electoral strength of the Brotherhood. In a transparent and open democratic process, it is these activists, and not the Brotherhood, which will to lead Egypt into a new future.
Egyptians will face considerable challenges in the months and years to come as they work to perfect their democratic experiment. If asked, we should stand ready to help not in the name of charity, but in the name of U.S. interests.
The winds of change are here. The way that people communicate has completely changed. Many politicians seem disconnected to the rest of us. The revolution in Egypt gave us hope for all of the people. The power of common decency has never been stronger. People around the globe are tired of hatred and violence.
Thank you.
If the game was in the same position as the world we live in right now, I'd conquere it in one fell swoop & win hands down.
I had just got my globe out & was contemplating where everything was & what was going on. It's the same strategy I've use 100's of time to win the game.
Doesn't that mean all of the countries?
In those 2yr. tax cuts you opened up S.S. for a 2 percent 120billion dollar cut? to be payed back for the 1st. time ever out of the General Fund? "READ TE BILL CASEY?"
When S.S. comes out of the gen. fund Sen. Casey can cry "LOOK" S.S. is a deficit problem?
Sen Casey" READ THE BILL"you know why? in those tax cut you raised tax on a family of 5 making48,500 an the working poor? 50million family will be hit with higher tax..
that why I say "READ THE BILL CASEY" Sen. Casey do you know your State Pa. is 2nd. only to Fl. for seniors.. S.S. cuts? pay back out of the gen. fund? You Sen. Casey with your vote made S.S.a deficit?
1000billion all borrowed for a 2yr. tax cut> Casey you no why tose tax cuts were called the failed 10yr. tax cuts? Because we borrowed every dime for 10yr. an you Casey vote for 2yrs. more? 1000billion=1trillion all borrowed for nothing. "READ THE BILL CASEY"
I'm going to write Bob Casey about this funding of Israel, though.
Egypt only mattered when it with its neighbors were causing a riff in the region cira 1973
from wiki:
The Knesset was reconstituted following elections in February 2009, which resulted 28 seats for Kadima, 27 for Likud, 15 for Yisrael Beiteinu, 13 for Labor, 12 for three small religious parties (5 for United Torah Judaism, 4 for National Union and 3 for Jewish Home), 11 for Shas, 7 for two Arab parties (4 for Ta'al, 3 for Balad), 4 for the non-Zionist Hadash, and 3 for the left-wing Jewish party Meretz.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knesset
18 February 2011 Last updated at 17:49 ET
Egypt's ruling military council says it will not tolerate any more strikes which disrupt the country's economy.
State television carried a statement in which the military said strikers would be "confronted".
Egypt's huge public sector has been hit by stoppages by groups including policemen and factory workers.
The army statement came at the end of a day in which millions of Egyptians had celebrated the victory of their revolution one week ago.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12512641
In case you need reminding of what else perhaps could be in the interest of the US, I'll use my home state of Texas as an example: we are about to see $10 BILLION cut to public education throughout the state. Over 30% of our women who are pregnant NEVER receive pre-natal care. 1 out of 5 children lives in poverty.
Now, I am supportive more than anyone else of oppressed people revolting against dictators in a demand for basic human rights, and I agree that the U.S. should be supportive of whatever moves toward democracy the Egyptian people make. But if we are so busy taking care of the Egyptians, who will be taking care of us? Who will be making the hard decisions to get our economy back on track, to creating more jobs in America, not on foreign soil, to educating our children who will be competing against Chinese, Indian, and European children who are indeed receiving excellent educations?
The answer is no one, Mr. Senator. We must take care of ourselves.
http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=206239&R=R4
- In 2008, President Bush was in Bahrain praising King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa as a democratic Arab leader and fellow freedom defender
http://mideast.blogs.time.com/2008/01/13/bush_disappoints_bahrain/
- Condoleezza Rice said "Jordan is making really great strides in its political evolution"
http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/06/15/post_democratization_lessons_from_the_jordanian_success_story
- According to Freedom House, Jordan has been downgraded from Partly Free to Not Free.
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=70&rele
- Republican Senator Mark Steven Kirk "President Ben Ali has worked tirelessly to ensure a free society, greater democratic openness, and complete respect for human rights in Tunisia."
http://cpj.org/reports/2008/09/sidebar.php
- In 2007, George Bush offered his strongest support of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who came to power in 1999 as a result of a coup d'etat.
Bush said “Pervez Musharraf has also advanced democracy in Pakistan”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/20/AR2007112002304.html
- In 2008, Cyprus and Western Sahara were still under occupation by Turkey and Morocco, thanks to George Bush.
- 500 Orthodox churches or chapels have been pillaged, demolished or vandalized in occupied Cyprus.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/786ooxze.asp
- According to Freedom House, occupied Western Sahara is one of the worst place in the world.
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=384&key=214&parent=21&report=81