Egypt's military promises no force against protests

grafton:

" I know what you are saying and do sort of agree with you, but we have seen potential for so much good hijacked before "

It does not need conspiratorial "hijacking". While only 20% of Egyptians are identified with the muslim brotherhood, opinion polls show that 75% are favour of Shariah law. So, in a country like that, a Western style "open" election without fixed limits on islamist demands will automatically lead to islamic parties in power, who will pursue a pro-Sharia and anti-Israel agenda.

There are no Copts among the anti-Mubarak demonstrators; that should give you a hint.

Triumvere at 12:43 PM JST - 1st February

“On the contrary, I see enormous potential for a freer, more democratic world here.”

I know what you are saying and do sort of agree with you, but we have seen potential for so much good hijacked before and it is that possibility that I have at the back of my mind. And without trying to deride Islam we have seen it used very effectively in the past as a means of controlling people. And seldom for the good. As a mechanism for getting and keeping control of a country Islam is a very good tool. I’m not at this time knocking it as a religion but we know how it can and does get used. That is my fear and my reason for doubting that any good will come out of a general popular uprising against the ruling dictators in the Middle East. I would like to believe and to be wrong, but can’t.

Watched the Mubarak speech on Aljazeera and he seems to be totally out of touch with what is really happening on the streets. His speech seemed designed to split the demonstrators and sap their will to continue. Made himself sound like every bodies favourite uncle and said he would die on Egyptian soil and the reaction from the crowd made that sound very possible because they were not at all happy. If the momentum holds and the military stay calm, and the police don’t get a chance to create trouble then Friday should be Mubarak’s last day. One way or another.

just-a guy: Ever try writing comedy? If you didn't I think you missed your calling.

Murbarak just stated that he will not run for re-election in September. I doubt that will be enough for the protesters. They have come too far and are too organized. I think Murbarak has to go before they disperse.

Taka

The muslim brotherhood will sure win if Murbarak fall! They are just like those armed student guards of Ayatollah Khomeini, the difference is they are using facebook!

Only the Muslim Brotherhood isn't leading the protests in Egypt; it's certainly been active, and if Mubarak falls it will certainly claim a place in the new government. This is inevitable, but you must understand that the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt today is not the same as it was when Sadat was assassinated; it is conciderablely less radical and has declared itself willing to work with the US and other western gov'ts and that it will the respect the rights of al Egyptian citizens regardless of religion. While the Brotherhood continues to display a number of worrying Islamist tendancies, we cannot allow ourselves to be terrified in to continuing to support the current oppresive regime on account that the Brotherhood will gain power... this model has been tried and has failed. Time to embrace democracy.

"Any political leader or movement who distance themselves from USA will most likely be the winner. No one likes living in a police dictatorship aided by USA. America´s trust can´t get any lower than it already is."

Any evidence the Egyption people hate the US?

The opposite, actually. While US approval ratings were dismal in Egypt in 2008, they have risen since then. Polls indicated that a majority of Egyptions have a positive view of the US. Isreal, not so much.

The muslim brotherhood will sure win if Murbarak fall! They are just like those armed student guards of Ayatollah Khomeini, the difference is they are using facebook! It is time America has to payback for what they 'owed' the arabs! Murbarak wasnt the first onem there was a general Mursharif in Pakistan and his falls lead to a civil war in pakistan. Eqypt will be the next!

No, that was just buying time, Murbarak is looking for the moment to strike, for him, it is a matter of his own 'life' or death. He will strike those protestor finally! And then we will see how a US ally using American made M1 Abrams and F-16 fighter to attack those crowds! The people of Egypt has been bullied and oppressed by a puppet for long, it is like a long erupted volcano explodes! They will made the Americans pay for their hardships of over 30 years, just like the fall of Shah in 1979

Freedom to Egypt now!

Good to see the military behaving, but if things get ugly and stores start to burn, you will see another hand.

paulinusa: Almost all Egypt's military officers were trained and went to university in the US, so you have to assume many are secular moderates. They're the one thing that could keep Egypt from evolving into chaos and it looks as if they're hedging their bets on Mubarak and won't risk angering the population with a heavy handed response.

The US has a close working relationship with Egypt as a result of the Camp David Peace Accords (which some are now calling "free money to a dictator!"). I wasn't surprised when the US military released a statement saying they were working with the Egyptians, then soon after we get this announcement that the military has promised to not use force. This link into Egypt might be one of the only ways the US and the West will be able to have some kind of positive influence on the outcome.

"U.S. has never ever demonstrated a real, absolute and consistent commitment to democracy and human rights anywhere in the world."

Really?

"America's long standing relations with a long list of tyrants, including filthy tyrants, around the world is unfortuantely more the norm than the exception including Egypt."

OK let's hear that long list,not in the past but now.

"Any political leader or movement who distance themselves from USA will most likely be the winner. No one likes living in a police dictatorship aided by USA. America´s trust can´t get any lower than it already is."

Any evidence the Egyption people hate the US?

@grafton

And probably not a good one.

On the contrary, I see enormous potential for a freer, more democratic world here. It's increadibly exciting. The west cannot keep proping up represive dictatorships in the vain hope surpressing Islamists and terrorism. We've tried that for the last couple decades and it lead us straight to 9/11. We should be standing by our own principles and supporting real democracy.

If they are lucky there the country emerges looking like Turkey. But they don't have an Ataturk.

Almost all Egypt's military officers were trained and went to university in the US, so you have to assume many are secular moderates. They're the one thing that could keep Egypt from evolving into chaos and it looks as if they're hedging their bets on Mubarak and won't risk angering the population with a heavy handed response.

Let's hope this will be positive news for the people of Egypt...

a regime supported by the criminals of Washington DC.

You see, that's the line of thinking that keeps the rest of us from being overwhelmed with joy at the thought of Mubarak being removed from office. Nobody wants to see the Muslim Brotherhood get into another place of power including, probably, the Egyptian military that has elected to take a respectable path.

The first thing radicals would want is the last thing any not crazy person in the military would want to do, attack a country armed to the teeth that has proven its mettle more than once.

Peace in Egypt....Peace in Egypt....Peace in Egypt

Triumvere “Tunisia was one thing, but Mubarak goes down we'll see popular revolutions across the Middle East. This could be a dawning of a new era.”

And probably not a good one.

I came by to see what everyone was saying and found two posts neither of which I can really disagree with. Glycol57, although I can fully understand you reticence re having the military take over I also well understand Mike’s fears that the Brotherhood might just hijack all that has been achieved this far. There is middle ground here if the military could be trusted to take control of the country for a set period with a promise of election on a particular date. Yes, we have seen this done before with some African countries that never did get their elections. But I think that the military in Egypt might be a tad more trustworthy. Besides I have a strong suspicion the Egyptian military have no wish to go up against the Israelis again and that might help them avoid falling under the leadership of Islamic crazies.

I have one serious fear about today though, the army has said they will not use violence unless the demonstrators get out of hand and commit crimes against the country. But we have already seen that Mubarak has put troublemakers out on the streets, police in plain clothes, what if that is done today and it is these agent provocateurs that create the spark that the army can use? Not nice thinking on my part I know, but we have all seem far worse in other places. Let’s all hope that I am very wrong.

Tunisia was one thing, but Mubarak goes down we'll see popular revolutions across the Middle East. This could be a dawning of a new era.

Then maybe an Army General should stage a coup so as the control of the country doesn't fall into some bad hands.

Um ... the hands of a general who stages a coup ARE "bad hands". That NEVER seems to work out well.

Actually, I am proud of the Egyptian military. It did not turn on the people it was sworn to defend - and this in a part of the world where the military is commonly used for such purposes. Hopefully they will be an example to the military officials in other unstable countries.

Unfortunately, there have also been calls from islamist groups to have the military immediately attack Israel. This is a problem. The military must serve someone, something. It is a tool awaiting a job. If islamists wind up with significant power in the new Egyptian government, those "good guys" may be put to dangerously aggressive purposes. Do they refuse ? If so, whom do they serve except themselves ?

Then maybe an Army General should stage a coup so as the control of the country doesn't fall into some bad hands. They have the arms to keep the new government safe. If they want to install El Baredhi then so be it. I don't trust these muslim brotherhood guys. I'd rather the military government than the theocratic one.