Saudis are finding that even their petro-dollars can no longer buy the loyalty of some Muslims. Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama of Lucknow in India has shown rare courage by openly condemning the Saudis for declaring the Ikhwan al-Muslimoon in Egypt and Hamas in Palestine as “terrorist” organizations. Nadwa's principled stand was immediately endorsed by a number of other organizations and Muslim political parties in India.
Who is a terrorist? Is it someone who kills innocent people or someone who defends his legitimate rights? The Saudi regime is known to sponsor terrorist outfits worldwide yet it has the gall to declare the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt a “terrorist” organization. The Bedouins from Nejd that have illegally occupied the Arabian Peninsula are financing the murderous thugs in uniform, the Egyptian military, with $15 billion in aid.
Rulers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE are not amused. They think Qatar is trying to be extra smart by backing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and even supporting MB activities inside their countries. They have withdrawn their ambassadors from Doha. How long with this last? Not very long, if their past behavior is any guide.
he brutes in uniform are never content with their own job. They want the top spot in the country not because they are capable but because they have the guns and can terrorize people. Those that dare oppose them end up in jail or at the end of a rope. General (Field Marshal) Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the arch zionist, has just confirmed he will seek the presidency. No one is surprised although the military council said he was misquoted.
The military-backed regime in Egypt is becoming extremely brutal. Ousted President Mohamed Mursi is not permitted even to consult his lawyers before his scheduled court appearance on January 8. How is he expected to defend himself against bizarre charges that are politically motivated?
The military has ordered the police to use maximum force against peaceful protesters in Egypt. The police are happy to oblige as the rampage after Juma prayers today demonstrated yet again. At least 19 protesters were shot and killed across Egypt and dozens injured. Their crime? They were protesting against the forthcoming referendum on a new constitution that has been drafted by a committee hand-picked by the military.
The miltiary and its henchmen in Egypt are getting desperate. While the Ikhwan al-Muslimoon, the country's only organized and most popular group has been banned and most of its leaders imprisoned, the regime has also unleashed thugs against them. In any other society, this would be roundly condemned. Instead, puppet media outlets are egging people on to attack the Ikhwan. Civil war cannot be very far.
Egypt's military-installed regime and the military itself, are going after the Ikhwan al-Muslimoon with a sledgehammer. The organization has been banned by declaring it a “terrorist” group. Not only its leaders and members but anyone raising their voice in support are being hauled to prison. Many charities dependent on donations from the Ikhwan have closed down. The so-called liberals have applauded the ban.
Unable to crush the Ikhwan al-Muslimoon movement, the military-installed regime in Egypt has resorted to more crude tactics. The Ikhwan (Muslim Brotherhood) has been declared a “terrorist” organization by appointed prime minister Hazem Beblawi (in photo) ahead of the January 14-15, 2014 referendum in order to isolate it. Pro-Ikhwan, anti-military regime protests continue in Egypt.
The Ikhwan al-Muslimun have suffered greatly in Egypt but they have also made some terrible mistakes none of which match the “exclusivist” bug that has infected the thinking of some of their leaders.
The military regime has failed to crush the Ikhwan but Egypt faces a grim future.
Despite the military’s brutal crackdown, the Ikhwan al-Muslimoon are not down and out. They are able to mobilize the street power to pose a continuous challenge to the military-backed regime and the illegal coup.
Unable to crush the Ikhwan al-Muslimoon completely, the military junta has attacked the party's newspaper. In a late night raid, all its equipment was stolen by the police as they ransacked the headquarters of Al-Hurra wa al-Adala (Freddom and Justice), the same name used by the party. The regime will only allow its own dogs to bark.
By massacring unarmed civilians that were merely holding a sit-in, the military has brought Egypt to the brink of civil war. While the military may have the guns and may be able to kill a very large number of people, they have lost all credibility and will ultimately pay a heavy price for such brutality.
The Ikhwan may have been pushed out of power by a brutal military coup and have offered thousands of martyrs, but if they can show their staying power in the streets, they can defeat the military and bring it to its knees.
The July 3 coup in Egypt has set the people of Egypt back by many decades. The brutal crackdown on supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and mass killings prove the military’s evil intentions.
June marks a grim anniversary for the people and armed forces of Egypt. While Egyptians deal with that grim legacy they are faced with fresh problems in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Mubarak regime.
In addition to facing opposition from remnants of the Mubarak era, President Mohamad Mursi of Egypt will face his greatest foreign policy challenges from the US, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Ayman Ahmed explains why.
Is President Mohamad Mursi serious in his pronouncements or is he simply playing to the public gallery?
Egypt may yet take its rightful place in the Muslim world after the election of Mohamed Mursi as president.
