First Tunisia, now Egypt - Amazing stuff happening

[jschild]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011...t.html?_r=1&hp

Jordan's King has sacked his cabinet as well due to protests.

[Dad_Scaper]

The best we can hope for in Egypt is a Turkey-like democracy.

As thrilling as this all is, it could be very very bad for world peace. The hard part for the Egyptians will be The Day After. Those young men who started the revolution because they had no jobs and no future will still need jobs and a future.

I hope they get it right. And I hope they get it right without us having anything to do with it, so when they become a functional democracy it does not look to the Egyptian dissidents like they are under the American thumb.

[Rich10]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

The best we can hope for in Egypt is a Turkey-like democracy.

As thrilling as this all is, it could be very very bad for world peace. The hard part for the Egyptians will be The Day After. Those young men who started the revolution because they had no jobs and no future will still need jobs and a future.

I hope they get it right. And I hope they get it right without us having anything to do with it, so when they become a functional democracy it does not look to the Egyptian dissidents like they are under the American thumb.

I hope that they become a functional democracy and not another Islamic state. It is hard to know if the warnings about the Muslim Brotherhood are exaggerated. Finally, I agree about the part about the "day after". Mubarak's departure won't magically lead to better economic conditions for the people of Egypt.

[jschild]

Originally Posted by Rich10

I hope that they become a functional democracy and not another Islamic state. It is hard to know if the warnings about the Muslim Brotherhood are exaggerated. Finally, I agree about the part about the "day after". Mubarak's departure won't magically lead to better economic conditions for the people of Egypt.

Actually most governments, including the US, do not consider the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. Indeed, they've been used as a boogyman by Muburak for decades, and they are just one cog in this situation. They are the Muslims you see on the video's praying in the streets as they get hosed done. Real violent there, praying and all that.

Some good details on them....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History..._(1954-present)

In the 1980s, during Hosni Mubarak's presidency, many of the student Islamist activists joined the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood now dominates the professional and student associations of Egypt and is famous for its network of social services in neighborhoods and villages.[6] In order to quell the Brotherhood's renewed influence, the government again resorted to repressive measures starting in 1992.[citation needed] Despite mass arrests, police harassment and an essentially closed political system, Brotherhood candidates have made strong showings in several parliamentary elections. In the past decade, the Brotherhood has made repeated calls for a more democratic political system, and in 2005 it participated in pro-democracy demonstrations with the Kifaya movement.
In the 2005 parliamentary elections, the Brotherhood's candidates, who can only stand as independents, won 88 seats (20% of the total) to form the largest opposition bloc, despite many violations of the electoral process, including the arrest of hundreds of Brotherhood members. Meanwhile, the legally approved opposition parties won only 14 seats. This revived the debate within the Egyptian political elite about whether the Brotherhood should remain banned.[citation needed] Since 2007 the party has reportedly been weakened by government jailings and regulations and by "missteps" that have alienated "many Egyptians". [7]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_...rhood#In_Egypt

[Rich10]

Originally Posted by jschild

Actually most governments, including the US, do not consider the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. Indeed, they've been used as a boogyman by Muburak for decades, and they are just one cog in this situation. They are the Muslims you see on the video's praying in the streets as they get hosed done. Real violent there, praying and all that.

I didn't call them a terrorist group and I believe that they have renounced violence. Still, they would likely be interested in ruling a sharia state. I don't like theocracies.

[jschild]

Originally Posted by Rich10

I didn't call them a terrorist group and I believe that they have renounced violence. Still, they would likely be interested in ruling a sharia state. I don't like theocracies.

That is a stated goal yes, but they don't want it imposed against the will of the people - they have long fought for open elections. Again, think Turkey's recent government, they haven't just tossed out Turkey's laws and forced everyone to be Muslim.

[jschild]

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/01/eg...top-1-million/

Not official yet but word is spreading quickly that after the massive protest of over 1 million in Cairo alone that Mubarak might not run again.

The Al Arabiya TV network reported that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak may speak tonight after hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters joyously packed Egypt's town squares today, unimpeded by soldiers kept their vow that they would not fire on their countrymen, according to Reuters. The network also said the besieged president has indicated that he will not run again for his sixth term in September.

[robbdaman]

Obama just told Mubarak to not run again too.

[jschild]

Originally Posted by robbdaman

Obama just told Mubarak to not run again too.

Here's an article on that.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/wo...ransition.html

[Phaethon]

Interesting article on the differences between Iran '79 and Egypt '11

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/0...t-iran/?hpt=T1

Here's hoping the author is right!

[jschild]

History was made today - Egypt is free of Mubarak.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa...pt=T1&iref=BN1

[Phaethon]

Originally Posted by jschild

History was made today - Egypt is free of Mubarak.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa...pt=T1&iref=BN1

Now let's hope it remains free...