Egypt’s last best chance
So Hosni promised not to run for office again this evening. That’s probably for the best. From the Washington Times;
In a speech aired on state TV Tuesday night, Mr. Mubarak said, “In all sincerity, regardless of the current circumstances, I never intended to be a candidate for another term.”
He said he will work during “the final months of my current term” to carry out the “necceasary steps for the peaceful transfer of power.”
Earlier Tuesday, U.S. officials said a visiting envoy of President Obama told Mr. Mubarak Tuesday that the U.S. sees his presidency at an end, an administration official said.
There are calls for Mubarak’s immediate resignation, but that doesn’t serve Egypt well. The people calling for his resignation are probably the same people who can’t win the popular vote in an open election. If we can believe anything that Mohamed ElBaradei says, the Muslim Brotherhood is “only” twenty percent of Egyptians which might make them part of a party coalition, but not the main characters.
Egypt needs to have the scheduled elections and transfer power by the tenets of it’s Constitution in order to show the world they can do it and to restore the confidence of the people in it’s government. It’s their last best chance for their country and for the region.
Category: Foreign Policy, Politics
The Muslim Brotherhood can’t afford for Mubarak to end his term and transfer power peacefully. It gives other, less jihadist/murderous power groups a chance to consolidate, reorganize, and prevent the Brotherhood from taking power.
“Earlier Tuesday, U.S. officials said a visiting envoy of President Obama told Mr. Mubarak Tuesday that the U.S. sees his presidency at an end, an administration official said”. Ran that through the Obamaspeak translator tonight. It came back with, “Hosni, my man, if you thought what happened to Mussolini or Ceausescu was bad, wait’ll they come for you. But, you know me, I’ve got your back. Forget that bullshit you read and heard about me entertaining and training the guys plotting your necktie party, you know me, right buddy”.
Mohamed Mustafa ElBaradei would seem to be the most unifying figure emerging out of all this, it’s gonna be interesting to watch.