The Other McCain

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‘Democracy’ in Egypt

Posted on | November 23, 2012 | 19 Comments

Headline from the New York Times:

President Morsi in Egypt Seizes New Powers

So, Obama supported the “democratic” uprising that toppled the U.S.-friendly dictator Mubarak and brought to power Morsi, who now assumes dictatorial powers, and we are led to ask, “What was the point of ‘Arab Spring,’ anyway?” If all that has been accomplished is to substitute a new dictatorship for the old dictatorship, how does the Obama administration claim that its policy advanced the cause of democracy?

From such questions, other questions naturally arise, e.g., How is the Obama administration’s “pro-democracy” policy different than the Bush administration’s “pro-democracy” policy? and, Why do we give a damn whether the Egyptians have democracy or not?

Meddlesome busybodies and utopian idealists — to the extent that these are separate categories — may accuse us of cynicism for asking these questions, but it’s difficult to understand how any of them can describe the effects of Obama’s policy in Egypt as a success. Perhaps a good time to re-read Jeanne Kirpatrick’s seminal 1979 article in Commentary, “Dictatorships & Double Standards.”

 

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Category: Egypt

Comments

19 Responses to “‘Democracy’ in Egypt”

  1. mtranquilnight
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 2:16 pm

    RT @smitty_one_each: TOM ‘Democracy’ in Egypt http://t.co/pQr15E1F #TCOT

  2. K-Bob
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 2:33 pm

    It’s never too early to ask: Who Lost Egypt?

  3. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 2:43 pm

    Well in this Hamas Israel flare up, we have a winner. Hint: It isn’t Israel or the U.S.

  4. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 3:24 pm

    That is a rhetorical question, correct?

  5. Christy Waters
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 3:28 pm

    I absolutely adore Jeanne Kirkpatrick. I have nothing against Sarah Palin, but I think the GOP needs more women of the Kirkpatrick caliber.

  6. Liberty At'Stake
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 3:35 pm

    Does Morsi have the loyalty (or at least obedience) of the Army? This is the question.

  7. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 4:21 pm

    So long as the moolah and miliary aid is coming in from Obama, probably.

  8. M. Thompson
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 6:05 pm

    The problem with right now is all the non-puff news seems to be how we’re all doomed. The temptation is to close the curtains and have a civilized evening each night with products of Scottish distilleries.

  9. Shawn Gillogly
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 6:30 pm

    I’m SHOCKED! Truly stunned by this ‘unexpected’ reversal in the democratic process. Why, never has Egypt been a haven for dictators, this is like a strongman seizing…Russia!

  10. Bob Belvedere
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 6:30 pm

    Or Kentucky ones!

  11. Bob Belvedere
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 6:32 pm

    Stacy wrote:

    So, Obama supported the “democratic” uprising that toppled the U.S.-friendly dictator Mubarak and brought to power Morsi, who now assumes dictatorial powers, and we are led to ask, “What was the point of ‘Arab Spring,’ anyway?” If all that has been accomplished is to substitute a new dictatorship for the old dictatorship, how does the Obama administration claim that its policy advanced the cause of democracy?

    The policy advanced Obama’s goal of getting a group of ideological soulmates in power in Egypt, who eventually attack Israel.

  12. AnonymousDrivel
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 6:42 pm

    “How is the Obama administration’s ‘pro-democracy’ policy different than the Bush administration’s ‘pro-democracy’ policy?”

    It’s more Islamic Fundamentalist which is to say Team Obama has actually expanded The Real War on Women among other wars.

  13. SDN
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 7:43 pm

    And the US. It’s a win-win.

  14. Quartermaster
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 9:19 pm

    Liberty, I think the Army has been poodlized.

    Anyone that did not see this coming should not be allowed near a door to the outside. They simply aren’t intelligent enough to be allowed out unsupervised. I realize that takes in about 99.9% of the population, but what can I say?

  15. WarEagle82
    November 23rd, 2012 @ 10:12 pm

    We all knew this was “One man, one vote, one time” from the very start of the “Arab Spring.” Obama sat back and watched as fanatical Jihadis replaced one aging dictator with their own. The Israelis may yet get a chance to demonstrate the results of what Hitler referred to as, “Jewish Physics.”

  16. garymrosen
    November 24th, 2012 @ 12:15 am

    You might want to reword that. “Lost” implies that what they did wasn’t intentional.

  17. Matthew W
    November 24th, 2012 @ 9:32 am

    Another Obama “Success”

  18. Adjoran
    November 24th, 2012 @ 9:46 pm

    The judges are going on strike and army sources are calling anti-Morsi protests “appropriate.” With any luck, there is a cadre of colonels who actually care about their country and will take the necessary actions.

  19. K-Bob
    November 24th, 2012 @ 10:50 pm

    To be sure. But also an historically resonant one.