UAE "busts" Egyptian Ikhwan cell

Al-Khaleej, a local Emiriti newspaper, is reporting that UAE forces "busted" an Ikhwan "cell" of senior Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood officials. Not for terrorism, as it claimed when it arrested a cell of Gulfie nationals on December 26. But for politically organizing.

Their crime? Holding "secret meetings" and "recruiting Egyptian expats in the UAE to join their ranks" and "continuous coordination" with the Egyptian-based branch.

"Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood had offered [the cell's members] courses...on elections and the means of changing leadership in Arab countries," said a UAE source.

The horror! Elections!

The arrests here have been treated in the expected political manner. Supporters of the Ikhwan rallied in support of those detained and opponents of the Ikhwan saw their political activities as just another step in a wider scheme of Islamicizing the region. Lost in all this is these guys were not arrested for terrorism but for promoting goals similar to those the liberals *should* be supporting. Instead, many are aligning themselves with the autocratic government.

The UAE and Ikhwan have a long history of tense relations.  The Islamists movement's rise has been met in the Gulf state with trepidation and worry similar political forces could result in regime change. Tension erupted in 2012 when an Egyptian Muslim scholar Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi spoke out against the UAE for reportedly revoking visas of Syrians who protested against the regime of al-Assad and UAE officials threatened him with arrest.  

Egypt, Hearing From Obama, Moves to Heal Rift From Protests

Via NYT:

CAIRO — Following a blunt phone call from President Obama, Egyptian leaders scrambled Thursday to try to repair the country’s alliance with Washington, tacitly acknowledging that they erred in their response to the attack on the United States Embassy by seeking to first appease anti-American domestic opinion without offering a robust condemnation of the violence. 

Set off by anger at an American-made video ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad, the attacks on the embassy put President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood in a squeeze between the need to stand with Washington against the attackers and the demands of many Egyptians to defy Washington and defend Islam, a senior Brotherhood official acknowledged. 

During a late-night, 20-minute phone call, Mr. Obama warned Mr. Morsi that relations would be jeopardized if Egyptian authorities failed to protect American diplomats and stand more firmly against anti-American attacks. 

The rising breach between the United States and Egypt comes at a critical time for the longtime allies. For the Obama administration, it is a test of whether it has succeeded in efforts to shore up influence after the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak and to find common ground with the new Islamist leaders of a country that is a linchpin of American policy in the Middle East. 

For Egypt’s new president, the dilemma quickly became an early test of the Brotherhood’s ability to balance domestic political pressures, international commitments and its conservative religious mandate now that it is also effectively governing in a new democracy. 

US Official on the Muslim Brotherhood: "They sound like Republicans half the time."

When people ask me about the Muslim Brotherhood, whether or not they aim to spread Islamic law throughout Egypt and turn it into the next Iran, I laugh.  The Egyptian group's rhetoric sounds familiar to me--it sounds almost exactly like what comes out of the American Republican party.  The religiosity, the nationalism... it's not scary, it's politics.

I'm apparently not the only person who thinks that way.  To me, this says a lot not about the Republican party being crazy, because I don't think they all are, but more about the nature of politics worldwide and how conservative parties rally their base.  Whether they are Christian or Muslim or Hindi or Jewish, it's all the same.  And don't worry, this is not a conservative-bashing post--liberals have their own means of rallying the base--"Big business is coming for us! Fox News!"

The article in which the official is quoted is worth reading in its entirety.  At the American Chamber here, I am actually working on these delegations mentioned in the article. Last week, AmCham hosted Robert Hormats, who spoke with a group of businessmen (mostly men) and emphasized the need to create inclusive growth to ensure the foundation of a democratic Egyptian state with opportunities for all.

Next week, we will host a HUGE US government and business delegation, with over 117 business men and officials and nearly 50 companies represented to emphasize commitment to the development of Egypt's private sector in the weeks and months ahead.  They are aiming to signal that Egypt is "open for business" and push for changes to Egypt's business environment to make the Middle Eastern country more amenable for investment.

Additionally, the US government is moving forward with plans to issue nearly $1 billion in debt forgiveness, extending a $250 million loan guarantee to Egypt through the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). There is also discussion about a US-Egyptian Enterprise Fund, based on successful programs established in Central and Eastern Europe following the dissolution of the Soviet Union to develop small and medium enterprises.  $60 million has been set aside for this project, and the Administration is working to secure more.

Sounds great! But I know all of this will open up rumors to the United States being in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood. And I hear it a lot--that the US supported the MB from the beginning. Which is crap--the US just supported the legitimate winners of the election. They did not shut out the MB and instead chose to keep dialogue open. This is a huge change from how the US dealt with the group previously. But in terms of the election, no, the process was not perfect. But Shafiq lost and the liberals were unable to mobilize. 

McCain defends Clinton aide against Muslim Brotherhood smears by rightwingers

Senator John McCain took to the Senate floor today to defend Secretary Clinton's deputy chief of staff Huma Abedin from accusations by rabid rightwingers of being a fifth column for the Muslim Brotherhood.

"I have every confidence in Huma's loyalty to our country, and everyone else should as well," said McCain.  "All Americans owe Huma a debt of gratitude for her many years of superior public service.  I hope these ugly and unfortunate attacks on her can be immediately brought to an end and put behind us before any further damage is done to a woman, an American, of genuine patriotism and love of country."

Abedin and Clinton

His comments came days after House Republicans, led by Michele Bachmann, requested an investigation into Abedin.  In a letter to the State Inspector General Harold W. Geisel, the Members wrote:

Given that the US government has established in federal court that the Muslim Brotherhood's mission in the United States is "destroying Western civilization from within"--a practice the Muslim Brothers call "civilizational jihad"--we believe that the apparent involvement of those with such ties raises serious security concerns that warrant your urgent attention. 

For example, according to "The Muslim Brotherhood in America: The Enemy Within," a product of the Center for Security Policy, the Department's Deputy Chief of Staff Huma Abedin has three family members--her late father, her mother, and her father--connected to Muslim Brotherhood operatives and/or organizations.  Her position affords her routine access to the Secretary and to policy-making.

"To say that the accusations made in both documents are not substantiated by the evidence they offer is to be overly polite and diplomatic about it," McCain said in direct response to the request for an investigation. "It is far better, and more accurate, to talk straight: These allegations about Huma, and the report from which they are drawn, are nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable citizen, a dedicated American, and a loyal public servant."

The Center for Security Policy is a far-right organization led by Frank Gaffney, who alleges the Muslim Brotherhood infiltrated the United States government and is planning a takeover. He cites Abedin as evidence, and accuses her mother, Saleha Abedin, of being a Muslim Sister.  In reality, Saleha is an advocate for women's rights in the Muslim world and the director of the Institute of Minority Affairs at the Global Peace Initiative of Women, an organization that promotes dialogue and cooperation among women of various religions.  

Abedin is a long-serving aide to Clinton, born in Michigan and of Pakistani origin.  Much of the media attention she receives is for her considerable achievements, her sense of style, and her marriage to erstwhile congressman Anthony Weiner who resigned from Congress following a sexy text scandal.

McCain has had a mixed record with such incidents.  He was the target of a racial smears during the 2000 election for his adopted baby.  His campaign during the 2008 election, however, engaged in borderline race-baiting, fed fears among white America of a country under the presidency of a "foreign" Barack Obama, and took a hard right to appease the base.

There was one instance in which he awkwardly tried to clamp down on the racism of some of his supporters.  Two supporters asked questions at a campaign rally--one expressed fear in raising his unborn child in Barack Obama's America, and another from a woman who called the future president an "Arab" who she "couldn't trust."  McCain yanked the mike away from her and defended Obama, calling him a "decent man."

Bassem Youssef: "The only way is to open up for everybody."

"People want democracy until someone else they don't like comes to power. 

The problem is that--I don't agree with the MB or the Salafis--but it's wrong to hide inside your bubble and go running to the military and asking them to protect you because for 60 years their rule in Egypt created poverty, extremists, and radicalism. The only way is to actually open up for everybody. Because you know what happened to the MB--after the parliamentary elections they won by 75 percent. In 2 months, they lost half of their votes because they were accountable for the first time in 80 years. Just give them power and let them deal with it."

--Bassem Youssef

Bassem Youssef and Jon Stewart on after taping The Daily Show (From @DrBassemYoussef's Twitter feed). 

Interview, part 1: Taking a photo of Catherine Zeta Jones' assprint. Actually, members of the MB are quite normal. 

Interview, part 2: Bassem dreamed of being on the Daily Show.  Above quote. 

Stoking fears about political Islam

The fear-mongering consuming both the West and the Middle East over the rise of political Islamist groups is overblown.  There is a moderating effect for those groups who reach a position of power, as evidenced by the actions of Islamist groups in Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia.  None of them have even moved slightly toward the Iranian model, instead embracing a Turkish model in which they are political first and foremost, ruling on values embodied in Islam.  We have pseudo-religious parties in Europe, so I find it extremely hypocritical to get our panties in a twist. 

In Egypt, there is a possibility of backsliding away from the goals of the revolution over fears of insecurity and the goals of Islamists.  There’s this strange collaboration between liberal forces and the establishment to marginalize Islamists.  I think this is dangerous, as the majority of Egyptians support such candidates.  Marginalize these voters, and you estrange them from the system.  They need to buy in to the system, to feel included.  This is especially true as this is the first free election in Egyptian memory.  Their disillusionment will lead to the systems delegitimization.  

They will know if the elite work against their wishes. 

The Washington Post ran an interesting op-ed this morning on the topic.  This is not an endorsement.  But it’s worth a read and raises interesting points. 

His point about minority groups is particularly notable.  Whenever I speak with Copts and they say they support felool candidates because they think they will be better protected, I die a bit inside.  It’s sacrificing your country’s and fellow citizens’ freedom and progression for nominal protection. 

And look at what happened at Maspero.  The government is just as willing—if not more so—to put down and kill Copts as Muslims. 

It’s a dangerous bargain that perpetuates their outsider status in the larger Egyptian community. 

Political Islamism is not to be feared 

By Marwan Muasher, former Jordanian prime minister

 The Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate for president of Egypt has moved on to the second round of voting. As fear mounts over the rise of Islamists, nostalgia for the old Arab world is stirring among many inside and outside the region. Some are starting to push the argument that former regimes restricted personal freedoms and stifled economic development but at least we all knew who we were dealing with and where we stood. And chaos was held in check.

 Today, a glance at headlines around the globe leads one to believe that Islamism is pitted against secularism in the battle for control over the new Arab world. This rise of Islamists clearly stokes fear in the West and leaves many clamoring for the good ol’ days when the good ol’ boys were in charge.

 Don’t buy the hype.

 This thinking ignores reality. It whitewashes the problems of the past, reflects unrealistic expectations for instant political transformations in the wake of revolutions and mislabels the battle being waged in the Arab world. This is not a clash between Islam and the rest — this is a battle for pluralism. It pits the believers in pluralism from both secular and Islamist camps against those who cling to outdated notions of exclusion or superiority and insist on disenfranchising others.

 For this battle to be won, we can’t ignore three critical lessons emerging from the ashes of the old Arab world.

 First, constituent politics are unavoidable and necessary. Reforms imposed from above are not enough to achieve political maturity. All groups and parties need to shift gears and participate in politics on the ground to fulfill society’s wants and needs.

 This is perhaps the most important lesson, and Islamists seemed to figure it out decades ago. One need only point out the success of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Some secularists, on the other hand, alternated between elitist political theorizing and smearing partisan politics. This thinking left many of them out of touch and lacking sufficient networks on the ground to be successful. In the short term, this is good news for Islamists, but constituent politics is the only way to defend individual liberties and protect political rights.

 Second, the reliance of certain groups or minorities on dictatorial regimes to safeguard their rights and guarantee their way of life — while usurping the rights of their fellow citizens — is simply untenable. For example, Tunisia’s former regime defended women’s rights but ignored the rights of many others. Many Syrian Christians have supported the government of Bashar al-Assad, which has killed thousands over the past year, purely because Assad’s Alawite regime protected their religious rights when alternative rulers might not.

 These are unacceptable, unsustainable bargains. Instead of ignoring the mistreatment of others, groups should fight for the rights of all, regardless of affiliation. This is the only way they can be seen as fellow citizens rather than as minorities.

 Third, Islamists lost their holiness the moment they entered politics. Whether religious or secular, conservative or radical, in or out of government, all those who enter the political fray can no longer adopt a holier-than-thou approach. Electorates across the Arab world will now view all who aspire to lead them equally.

 The field in countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and elsewhere is now open to all, and the people alone are the true source of authority. Society has claimed the right to bring in or remove anyone from power. Religious parties can’t hide behind religion or indulge in pretensions of sainthood — slogans such as “Islam is the solution” won’t fly without being accompanied by actions. And secularists can’t ban Islamists from politics under the pretext that the latter are uncommitted to pluralism, particularly because secular forces were often the ones curtailing open politics in the past. Both parties’ “holiness” is over.

 Groups will be held accountable if their programs succeed or fail in meeting citizens’ needs. Rhetoric and slogans will ring hollow if they are not matched with their promises — concrete programs that create jobs and defend rights. This is what will end up being the main criteria for political parties’ success or failure in the Arab world — the ability to deliver rather than to pontificate.

 This means that all must work together to defend basic rights and transition to true democracies. Policies of exclusion must give way to inclusion. Only a coalition of pluralists can succeed in building a democratic society where the majority rules, where minority rights are respected, and where individual rights are safe and the rule of law applies to all, without favoritism.

 The battle for pluralism has begun.

Ikhwan vs. Felool: Quick thoughts on the Egyptian election results

The results of the first round of voting for the Egyptian presidency point to a runoff between Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, a felool, or remnant, of the previous regime.  Both options are unattractive to Egypt's revolutionary youth.  They are stuck between voting for a conservative candidate whose platform is perceived to run counter to their ideals, a member of the former regime--which sucks in and of itself, and not voting at all.  A boycott, however, is a terrible option and would only further marginalize them. 

Morsi supporters.
AP photo

That they find themselves in this situation is largely self-inflicted.  The revolutionary youth and left ran multiple candidates, dividing the vote, rather than rallying behind one candidate.  I said before, half jokingly, they did what liberals do best--bicker and eat each other alive.  Just look at the Democratic party. It's the same thing--such a big tent that it's difficult to unify everyone.  Our repubs are much better at imposing party discipline (at least until the rise of the Tea Partiers, whom them have now embraced), as the felool and Islamist candidates are able to do.  

Graffiti in Cairo depicting Mubarak and SCAF leader Tantawy as the same person, with felool candidates Amr Moussa and Ahmed Shafiq behind them.
Reuters photo

I've spoken to a lot of expat Copts in the US and all of them voted for Shafiq.  It hurts me inside to see how their fear of an Islamist presidency pushes them to embrace figures from the same regime.  A win for Shafiq is really the end of the revolution.  Especially after going to Saudi, I know Egypt will not be like that.  The society is too dynamic, the political sphere too open, vested interests too deep, for Egypt to turn incredibly constricted.  There may be bold-name reforms to symbolize the new government's embrace of shariah--no booze or bikinis, although even that is unlikely.  

It is unlikely the FJP (MB's party) will even pursue such policies.  Their model is more Turkey's AKP, the ruling Islamist party, than Iran's theocratic government or Saudi's monarchy-Wahhabi model.  It's the economy, stupid--they're going to have to deal with Egypt's floundering economy first and foremost.  

Many of the expat and upperclass Egyptian youth rallied behind Mohammed el-Baradei, but he didn't even run.  

The transition was never going to be smooth or quick.  

I hope fear doesn't win the election. 

McClatchy: Egypt's former spy chief runs for president, Islamist candidate excluded

Headlines like that give me a sinking feeling in my stomach.

Omar Suleiman, the former head of Egypt's despised intelligence for over 18 years, announced Friday his candidacy for president.  He's like a caricature of an evil boogyman and is responsible for much of the repression and torture of the Mubarak years.

Ooga booga! I'm going to come and kidnap you and take you to an undisclosed location to torture you. 

His election would be a huge slap in the face to the revolutionary movements, including the Islamists, who perhaps suffered most under Mubarak.

His announcement comes after revelations that Salafi frontrunner Hazem Abu Ismail's mother held dual United States-Egyptian nationality, which disqualifies him from running for president.

This dude: Actually more legitimate.

The timing of the disclosure regarding his mother is very convenient for those who want to nip the Islamist surge in the bud.

Honestly, part of me feels for the Islamists. A lot of them, especially the younger ones, really do believe in the hope-y, change-y stuff. And a lot of people voted for Islamists--70 percent, in fact. No, the elections weren't perfect. There were a lot of barriers. But liberals did what liberals (in the United States, especially) do best--they bickered amongst themselves. They didn't have the institutional knowledge the MB had for political organization. They lost. And just because the powers that be--SCAF, the Egyptian intelligencia, the United States--doesn't like where things are going, does not justify the delegitimization of the Egyptian political process.

Besides, imagine what would happen if the thousands of Egyptians, emboldened and heartened after the revolution, saw the elections that followed as proof their vote would never count and democracy will never come.

As Egypt moves toward democratization, it will serve everyone well to keep Islamists in politics. Marginalizing and alienating them will only serve to radicalize them as they simmer with (probably well-founded) disdain.

Update: I got it. Suleiman reminds me of Cheney. Fact. 

NYT: Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood pushing Palestinian reconciliation

The New York Times reported on Saturday that the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is seeking to leverage its ties with Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah to increase pressure on Israel for an independent Palestinian state. According to the newspaper, Brotherhood officials are pressing Hamas, its Palestinian offshoot, to reconcile and work with their West Bank counterparts. A united Palestinian front would be able to more successfully

The intervention is a marked change from the past. The Muslim Brotherhood previously denounced Fatah's relatively moderate stance toward Israel and its willingness to negotiate with the Jewish state, accusing them of selling the dream of a Palestinian state for political gains from the West.

According to FJP Chairman of the Arab Affairs Committee Reda Fahmy, the Brotherhood's Mohammed Badie asked Khalid Meshaal himself to "be more flexible," leading to Hamas' agreement to allow Fatah's president Mahmoud Abbas to lead the first six months of a unity government in the Palestinian Territories until new elections are held.

The intervention is also one of the clearest signs of a newly-strengthened Brotherhood's involvement in Egyptian politics and foreign affairs after it swept the parliamentary elections. Egypt hosted reconciliation talks between the two groups in February and also play a role in mediating internal disputes in Hamas. 

WSJ: Muslim Brotherhood Looks West in Bid to Revive Egyptian Economy

The WSJ has a fascinating (although behind a paywall) article about how the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood eventually agreed to the IMF loan in principle.  The international organization came to the MB, knowing the loan would not push through without their approval.

The MB has long been skeptical of Western intervention, and some members saw the loan similar to those that invited foreign interference in the 18th and 19th centuries to collect debts.

In addition to agreeing to the loan in principle, observers note that now in power, the MB can little afford to rail against Western and Zionist interference. More pressing are economic worries, as Egypt's economy crashes.

Also driving MB decision-making is the rise of the Salafist Nour party, with which the MB must compete for Islamist votes.  As with any country, competition from the right will push politics to the right, perhaps complicating MB efforts to warm to the West.

They have had little time to accustom themselves to the new reality--a year ago they were banned, now they are on the cusp of becoming Egypt's new elite ruling class.

"It's been an extreme crash course for us and it came to a head that day [when they agreed to the loan]," said Essam el-Haddad, the group's foreign policy advisor.  "Remember, for 60 years we were working underground and now we've come out into the light and are staring directly into the sun. We're all blinking and rubbing our eyes, like the Chilean miners. To adapt to this takes time, and we don't have time."