The Al Sisi Government in Egypt has displayed immense skill in weathering the storm and brutally putting down the aspiring revolution which millions of Egyptians thought they were advocating for in the so-called Arab Spring.
This Administration has, in effect, like an enormous dragon, either eaten or is eating the brave Egyptians who rose up against the Mubarak Regime. Egypt's corrupt military and elite, which have their fingers in all elements of 'the Egyptian pie', were not going to let the aspiring masses, whom they consider to be naive, deprive them of the means of their ill-gotten wealth and livelihood.
So, what did they do? They played for time and conspire among themselves and with external allies in the Arab world and the west. They gave the appearance of having given up on their benefactor - the Mubarak family - and probably included him in their plot, probably explaining how he would have to make the necessary sacrifices, while they extracted the teeth of the 'revolution'. They, especially the military, and Al Sisi, in particular, gave the impression of consigning the military back to the barracks and subordinating it to the elected government, while they plotted how they would regain and maintain their power, and give it the appearance of 'being legitimate.' If for no other reason than to appear to satisfy western sensibilities about 'democracy.'
The outcome, so far, is that Egypt now has a brutal military dictatorship, which does have, it seems, the support of a lot of the population. It is brutally persecuting the Muslim Brotherhood, which it has criminalized. Faced with having been robbed of their 'revolution' by the corrupt military-industrial complex that they had rebelled against, many Egyptian radicals felt they had no option but to try to resist the Establishment by whatever means they can.
It does not help that they have seen the American Government, long-standing supporter and arms provider for the corrupt Mubarak Regime, putting its own geo-political interests above the welfare of the Egyptian people, and renewing its friendship with the 'new' dictatorship. Shocking as this is, it is, in the affairs of nations, 'normal' for countries to put their then perceived self-interests above even the welfare of their own citizens.
Neither does it help, when they, the Egyptian people, see the French, under Hollande - formerly known for standing up for the principles of the French Republic - 'Liberte, Fraternite and Equalite' - come to Egypt to dine with the Al Sisi Regime, giving it political 'respectability' and bearing loads of arms for its military, even if it is intended to secure jobs and provide the French with bread.
And so we have a world populated with cynical politicians and governments, whereby, on the one hand, the late Nelson Mandela could be released from 27 years of imprisonment, and made the leader of the first post-Apartheid Government in South Africa. While, on the other hand, we have the anomalous situation where President Morsi can become the first elected Egyptian President, and then deposed by the machiavellian treachery of the Egyptian military and elite, thrown in prison along with thousands of other Egyptians, and then sentenced to death by the government's judiciary.
And the governments of the West have very little to say, and do even less; having become bored by 'the story of Egypt', and now knowing that the country is back in its soi, or sphere of interest.
As for the people of Egypt, well, most of them probably have returned to their 'pre-Arab Spring' state, of having little or no expectation of any improvements in their circumstances, having experienced the unfruitful 'post-Arab Spring' instability, and the iron fisted response of their corrupt military and the elites, for whom ordinary Egyptians do not matter nearly as much as the concept of Egypt.
This Administration has, in effect, like an enormous dragon, either eaten or is eating the brave Egyptians who rose up against the Mubarak Regime. Egypt's corrupt military and elite, which have their fingers in all elements of 'the Egyptian pie', were not going to let the aspiring masses, whom they consider to be naive, deprive them of the means of their ill-gotten wealth and livelihood.
So, what did they do? They played for time and conspire among themselves and with external allies in the Arab world and the west. They gave the appearance of having given up on their benefactor - the Mubarak family - and probably included him in their plot, probably explaining how he would have to make the necessary sacrifices, while they extracted the teeth of the 'revolution'. They, especially the military, and Al Sisi, in particular, gave the impression of consigning the military back to the barracks and subordinating it to the elected government, while they plotted how they would regain and maintain their power, and give it the appearance of 'being legitimate.' If for no other reason than to appear to satisfy western sensibilities about 'democracy.'
The outcome, so far, is that Egypt now has a brutal military dictatorship, which does have, it seems, the support of a lot of the population. It is brutally persecuting the Muslim Brotherhood, which it has criminalized. Faced with having been robbed of their 'revolution' by the corrupt military-industrial complex that they had rebelled against, many Egyptian radicals felt they had no option but to try to resist the Establishment by whatever means they can.
It does not help that they have seen the American Government, long-standing supporter and arms provider for the corrupt Mubarak Regime, putting its own geo-political interests above the welfare of the Egyptian people, and renewing its friendship with the 'new' dictatorship. Shocking as this is, it is, in the affairs of nations, 'normal' for countries to put their then perceived self-interests above even the welfare of their own citizens.
Neither does it help, when they, the Egyptian people, see the French, under Hollande - formerly known for standing up for the principles of the French Republic - 'Liberte, Fraternite and Equalite' - come to Egypt to dine with the Al Sisi Regime, giving it political 'respectability' and bearing loads of arms for its military, even if it is intended to secure jobs and provide the French with bread.
And so we have a world populated with cynical politicians and governments, whereby, on the one hand, the late Nelson Mandela could be released from 27 years of imprisonment, and made the leader of the first post-Apartheid Government in South Africa. While, on the other hand, we have the anomalous situation where President Morsi can become the first elected Egyptian President, and then deposed by the machiavellian treachery of the Egyptian military and elite, thrown in prison along with thousands of other Egyptians, and then sentenced to death by the government's judiciary.
And the governments of the West have very little to say, and do even less; having become bored by 'the story of Egypt', and now knowing that the country is back in its soi, or sphere of interest.
As for the people of Egypt, well, most of them probably have returned to their 'pre-Arab Spring' state, of having little or no expectation of any improvements in their circumstances, having experienced the unfruitful 'post-Arab Spring' instability, and the iron fisted response of their corrupt military and the elites, for whom ordinary Egyptians do not matter nearly as much as the concept of Egypt.
It is probably unlikely that the majority of Egyptians will find their current circumstances unbearable or disappointing, as they had become used to expecting little to change, and had not had time to accommodate the changes they might have expected of 'the Egyptian Spring', which has now become the most dead winter they have had for many decades.
It has been said that people in power do not give it up. A corollary would be that, if you dare to overthrow a ruthless regime, be sure that you have the means - people and or army - to maintain your newly acquired power.
No comments:
Post a Comment