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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Some Thoughts on Egypt

All of the talk and tumult over Egypt has been aggravating my damaged mind with increasing regularity. First, I *really* wish people would stop referring to President Hosni Mubarak as a “pharaoh”. You can pick out the most terminally inbred retard from all of them and it is still an insult to such a lofty title of those giants of the ancient world to apply it to Mubarak. Secondly, I am *really* getting sick of the comparisons to Imperial Iran and the constant refrain of “Well, the Shah was a bad guy too but what replaced him was worse…” The Shah was NOT a “bad guy”. It is absolutely no exaggeration to say that he was the most humane and benevolent leader modern Persia/Iran has had. The only people who treated in a less than kind way by the Shah were commie revolutionaries and radical terrorists; both of whom could be dealt with in no other way and neither of whom anyone with the slightest bit of decency should have any sympathy for whatever.

Similarly, I fail to understand why everyone is saying that this situation reminds them so much of the Islamic Revolution in Iran (particularly those skeptical of the way things are going). Why do they not say it reminds them of what happened in Egypt? Let the record show that, just as in Iran, the U.S. was also passively cooperative in the overthrow of the Egyptian monarchy. King Farouk was written off by the United States, the CIA wanted to see him go and had plans for how to handle the situation and, just like the Shah, when his enemies moved against him, King Farouk naively appealed to the United States for help but of course none was forthcoming. Gamal Abdel Nasser and other army officers overthrew the King and, once all was said and done, Egypt was a republic with Nasser as president. Like many causing trouble in Egypt today, he had his own ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, he was a militant pan-Arab nationalist and although he claimed to be “un-aligned” his ties to the Soviet Union were extensive and well documented. He did, however, anger both the Communists and the Muslim Brotherhood when he made Egypt a single-party dictatorship, cutting out all groups but his own.

This first came to my mind when one of the cable news channels showed a group of Egyptian protestors voicing anger at the U.S. President, demanding, “Where are you Obama?” Which underlines why most Americans have become rather callous about how they are viewed in the rest of the world. The U.S. will be blamed by some in any event, either for getting involved or for not getting involved. Then, of course, there are those shameless few who will harangue the U.S. to get involved only to condemn them for doing so after they find they don’t like the results. As far as I’m concerned, the slate should be wiped clean on that front and the U.S. give isolationism another try. And not just “non-interference” but full blown isolationism. Just don’t expect me to be entirely consistent on that front, but I’m tempted, I’m really tempted.

However, if there is anything that we should have learned by now, yet precious few seem to, is that democracy is not the answer to every problem. I just don’t understand the mentality. Are the advocates *really* so diluted as to think that the majority will always agree with them? How many times does the democratic process fail, how many times is an elected or widely popular leader have to tear the world apart before we all get the message that the 51% of the public is not infallible? Besides which, in case any haven’t noticed (and if you haven’t you should seek psychiatric help -I can give you some phone numbers) it is all a colossal lie anyway. Vice President Joe Biden recently said that Mubarak was not a dictator. Now, I don’t think Biden has the sense that God gave geese but I have to feel a little for him now that he’s being ridiculed for that statement. Until the riots started every U.S. administration in recent years would have said the same.

I do not expect the U.S. or the E.U. (or the U.N. while we’re listing initials) to do anything about Egypt, nor would I want them to. However, the utter, flaming, shameless *hypocrisy* constantly spouted makes me mad enough to chew glass. We’ve had Obama and company parade before us saying how the U.S. supports universal human rights, supports the Egyptian people, wants their demands met but wants no bloodshed on either side and wants Mubarak to turn the internet back on. All this while they are still taking down the decorations from the party Obama just threw for the President of Communist China! A president who himself butchered countless innocent people while serving as governor of occupied Tibet and was one of the first party leaders to call for the violent suppression of the pro-democracy demonstrators at Tiananmen Square! Robert Gibbs said that the Obama administration does not ‘take sides’ in conflicts between the Egyptian people and the government. Well, news flash, YES they do. So does virtually every other country in the western world.

They can talk democracy all they want but the fact is that no one would care in the least about Egypt if it wasn’t for the Suez. If there is a horribly oppressive government that doesn’t make trouble and allows the oil through, no one will really care how oppressive they are. We may annoy the Chinese about their human rights record but we know, and they know, that no one is going to do anything about it. I do wish that King Fuad II had a higher profile in Egypt (I believe it was only last year that he gave his first interview in Arabic for Egyptian TV). He could hardly do worse than the succession of generals-turned-presidents have done but he would also face the same hard choices of many monarchs in the region; trying to please two diametrically opposed parts of the world at the same time while trying to appear simultaneously strong and “democratic”. I cannot see the monarchists of Egypt having much influence here, unfortunately. If a more moderate regime is established they may at least have the chance to compete more openly in the marketplace of ideas but, alas, I cannot be too hopeful. Mobs of angry people in the streets do not tend to foreshadow the establishment of moderate and benevolent governments.

11 comments:

  1. I couldnt agree more, MM.
    However, I'm here only to warn monarchists and catholics that a mass will be celebrated tonight both in Lisbon and Oporto for the souls of King Carlos and Royal Prince Luiz Filipe, victims of the regicide of 1908 in Portugal. All are welcomed to join us in our prayers.

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  2. Interesting to hear your thoughts, Mad Monarchist. As always, you speak much sense. I also have found the Obama administration's response to the situation to be weak and uninvolved.
    I myself side with Mubarak if I have to choose between him and the protesters. Economic and political stability in that region, above all others, is desirable, and if Egypt (of all the countries in that region, it is among the most stable) becomes chaotic or confused, there's no telling where that will lead.

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  3. You say that we have all learned that Democracy s not the Solution to every Political Problem. Have we?

    I ask because, wile there are at least some dissenting voices, and not just on Monarchist Websites, but form such notables as Vox Day, r Pat Buchannan, who are critical of the events in Egypt and the idea of these protestors being seen as revolutionary heroes who bring True Democracy and thus peace, for the most part the Major News Outlets and the majority of Talking Heads in both Academia and Politics agree that Egypt needs to aspire to a true Democracy and that Mubarack is a Dictator. Yes this is a reversal of how he’s been seen in the past, or heck how he was seen about a Month ago, but people tend to revise their memories and jump on bandwagons so he’s now a Dictator and everyone has always known it.

    To hear them talk, once Democracy has been created in Egypt, then the Egyptian people will suddenly have the same Values and ideals as the Western World, which are assumed to be Universal Human ideal s and Values, that all free people hold to and would automatically vortex for if given the Chance.

    Never mind the Role of the Muslim Brotherhood or the fact that elected governments in the Arabian World have consistently voted or groups that the US State Department labels as terrorists, such as the Palestinian Liberation organisation, we simply pretend that these groups just suddenly came to power out of no where and it’s not Democracies Fault: Democracy in Egypt will produce a New barrack Obama one Bill Clinton, and the people in Egypt will start clamouring for Casual Sex, let people live together without marriage, and wear skimpy clothes, not to mention allow the other stuff like Free Speech and Freedom of Religion. Gosh, that’s what Democracies always do.

    The very idea that people would hold to radically different Cultural Values or beliefs, and would vote those Values, is something most Americans, or Western Europeans, seem oblivious too, an rather association Democracy both with “The Will Of The People” and their specific moral Values.

    Its assumed that if people have free and fair elections they will always support the self evident good that we in the West see in a Humanistic Philosophical Ideal, and will embrace a Liberal Cultural model because that’s how people are.

    We associate Democracy with Freedom and Freedom with out Western Morals and Values, and assume everyone else holds those same Values, and Democracy will make Egypt just like is.

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  4. I see many protests on youtube through news networks and so many comments say, "Down with the NWO", "fuck the police", "The world is awakening", "Long Live the Revolution", "Fight for your freedom". Whenever I see these, I think, "Too much freedom ruins the minds of these people".

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  5. I've seen similiar commentary about the echoes of what happened in the 70s.

    Have you seen or read the news about the King of Jordan dismissing his cabinet?

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  6. You sir are my new hero.

    Pure wit to begin and truth thru out.

    Your stance against the Orc-commies is spot on

    soooo refreshing blog, especially for after being surrounded by blasted-bugger-orc-commie-sympathies where I work

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  7. I just hope that the president's government isn't replaced with a Taliban-like hardline Islamic government. That's what I think of when I see the 'pro democracy' demonstrators in Egypt, they remind me of their 1970's counterparts in Iran, and look how THAT turned out.

    I think the US should adopt the Isolationist policy too.

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  8. Zarove, the "we" is simply the members and readers of this blog, where the case, not against any/all democracy but against democracy as the be-all and end-all of politics has been firmly made.

    I have seen the news about the King of Jordan and I very much hopes his efforts to stave off disaster succeed. However, I remain uneasy about any monarch whose fate is put in the hands of "democracy". Although not the brute that Mubarak was by any means, the King is also subject to some of the same criticism. Paramount (at least to some) is that he is the only other leader in the region to recognize the State of Israel, unpopular enough among much of the Arab community but certainly in Jordan where 65% of the population (including the Queen -though I'm certain she does not share such sympathies) is Palestinian.

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  9. It's because the republican dictatorship erected by Nasser and perpetuated by Sadat and Mubarak has failed its people miserably. Population in Egypt has grown rapidly, with its infrastructure and economy unable to cope.

    One cannot compare different Arab countries since the situation of each is different. Some have made transitions to relative democracy (Morocco, Algeria), others a benevolent absolutism that looks after its citizens' welfare (Qatar, UAE), and others, well...

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  10. I think that all that is hapening in egypt is very dangerous for the stability of the west and this wawe of revolutions could easily end in new islamics republics like iran.
    It is an threat to the peace in the region and for the monarchy in arabia (peninsula).
    It is very unlikely to end in a monarchy this crisis it is more probably that new dictactor came to the power as messianic leaders to end the chaos and will be worst tha mubarak.
    so it is preferable to support mubarak rather than dispose of him.
    the better solution of all this in my opinion would be that the suporters of mubarak and the opositors make an truce and call for free elections and let the people choice an goverment of transition and then select the goverment that they want, monarchy or republic and a new president / sultan or malik.
    hi from a thinker from argentina

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  11. The World Community, especially the US, will never let them vote on Restoration of the Monarchy, or he Erection of another. While they are not as actively Hostile towards existing Monarchies as they once were, they prefer to make them powerless and let the Democratically Elected bodies make the Laws.

    But turning a Republic into a Monarchy contradicts the Narrative that Humanity develops into an Egalitarian Democratic Society when they mature enough, with Democracy as the Pentacle of Human Evolution. I even read last night an article about why Democracies fail and the Author claimed that those Nations weren't Mature enough for the Political Process.

    If Egypt, which was a Stable Republic, became a Monarchy, it'd be seen as a Step backwards, and a slap in the Face. It would be greatly discouraged.

    While I am all for a Royal Restoration of Egypt, I am realistic. In todays setting, that simply won’t happen. At least for now.

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