Egypt

I'm sure you have been following the situation in Egypt in your local papers or favorite websites. I have not followed it closely, except to glean from a few articles the basic fact that the media and their liberal constituents have been rhapsodizing about "democracy" in Egypt and the misdeeds of now deposed "dictator" Mubarak, oblivious to the real nature of the street demonstrations. Bernard Lugan is a French historian specializing in Africa. This article appears on the home page of his website:

After Tunisia, now it is Egypt on fire. Forgetting the "I neither blame nor praise, I report", that golden rule of their profession, journalists have once again made themselves the spokespersons of the street demonstrators. Literally swooning before the actions of the mob, they could not find enough superlatives to describe the Egyptian "people" whom they saw as unanimously opposed to the "dictator" Mubarak.

Everything in their limited little universe of certitudes and approximations was turned upside down when partisans of Mubarak also descended into the streets; en masse. What? There were two peoples? Such an observation has what it takes to disturb pre-programmed minds. For a while they had an easy explanation: the counter-demonstrators were police and paid thugs. Then, horrors! They learned they were actually inhabitants from the "poorest neighborhoods."

And so, the wretched ones dared to come and rain on the great democratic parade of which they had become the spokespersons. And worse still, these ruffians dared, crime of crimes! to go after the journalists, unaware that in France, this untouchable caste constitutes a State within a State before whom the most powerful crawl and prostrate themselves. They will take away from their visit to Cairo the knowledge that references on the banks of the Nile are not the same as on the banks of the Seine, and that voyages are more instructive than journalism schools.

These ignoramuses did not see that Egyptian political life is organized around three great forces. The first, the one that is demanding the departure of President Mubarak, and for whom they have such fond feelings, is, as in Tunisia, composed of people who have plenty to eat. They are in a way "privileged" persons able to afford the luxury of demanding democracy.

The second is the Muslim Brotherhood. Hunted down for decades and today sheltered by useful idiots, this organization is attempting to reintroduce itself on the political chess board in order to impose its law.

The third force that no "special envoy" has ever heard of is the one that lives in deprived neighborhoods, far from the Hilton Hotel - that austere headquarters of "warrior" journalists - or in the wretched villages of the Nile valley, far from the eyes of tourists. These are the needy fellahs, Nasser's little people of strong patriotism, who hate both the cosmopolitan bourgeoisie with its eyes on Washington and the bearded ones who would like to take Egypt back to the 10th century. These are the men who flew to the aid of Raïs Mubarak in whom they see, rightly or wrongly, that is not the question, a successor, however remote, to Colonel Nasser.

One last remark: while the French political class called on President Mubarak to to leave power, Russian President Medvedev had a long telephone conversation with him, assuring him that he was rising up against foreign interferences. On one side Pavlov's dogs lifted their paws in response to the current news, and on the other, a Head of State well-versed in the subtleties of the "mysterious Orient"…

More on the Egyptian turmoil can be found at VFR. One post includes a link to an article in the LA Times and one reader's realistic comment about the Muslim Brotherhood. Another describes the Israeli reaction to the situation.

French Catholic writer Bernard Antony adds his thoughts to the above assessment by Bernard Lugan:

The real revolution in Arab-Muslim countries can only be that of religious freedom, that of being or not being a Muslim, that of freedom to judge, criticize and debate, that of proposing laws based on the only natural morality of protecting innocent life, of human dignity and of equality between men and women, of respect for property acquired legitimately.

For now they are lying to us about the so-called revolutions of democracy and tolerance. The fact that dictatorial and corrupt regimes collapse is fine, but it would be better if at last they proclaimed the application, in perfect reciprocity, of the Koranic verse "no constraints in religion" that has been invoked for thirteen centuries in one direction only.

Would not the real revolution of freedom be first that of an "aggiornamento" (updating) of an Islam that breaks with sharia, jihad and dhimmitude?

Alas, it appears that we can hardly count on the Muslim Brotherhood for that.

For additional information on the Muslim Brotherhood turn to Gates of Vienna.

According to Le Figaro (Friday afternoon):

Vice-President Suleiman announced that Hosni Mubarak has resigned the presidency and turned power over to the army. The army salutes the memory of the martyrs and assures that it will not be a substitute for the "legitimacy desired by the people." A high-ranking politician confirms that Hosni Mubarak and his family have left Cairo for Sharm el-Sheik. Switzerland announces it has frozen the assets that belong to Hosni Mubarak.

Some readers' comments at François Desouche reveal a near-obsessive concern with America's and Israel's role in the uprising and with the potential Americanization of Egypt, though other readers justly point out that Israel has everything to lose by this coup, that Israel favored Suleiman and that America is led by a Muslim sympathizer. In other words, the notion that America (in the traditional sense) or Israel would benefit from the revolution is foolish. Of course, Obama is satisfied, but he does not represent traditional American interests. Like Clinton and Bush he is happy to see a lesser evil overthrown in favor of what may be a greater evil.

Here's another article at VFR for those interested.

Much information is being posted now about the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization that is no stranger to the anti-Islamization websites. In France the UOIF (Union of Islamic Organizations of France) is closely connected to the Brotherhood, and many Muslim leaders, instrumental in acquiring funding for mosques in France, are part of the UOIF. .