Monday 14 February 2011

Egypt ahead

Didn't we all just burst with joy in solidarity for the Egyptian people when they achieved their aim of removing a US backed dictator of 30 years standing?

And marvelled at how much good will and fraternity was and is being shown by the people.  Men, women and children, secular and faithful, dancing together in the streets in celebration.  And then respect shown for the more than 300 protestors who lost their lives, becoming martyrs to the movement of 25 January 2011, when Egyptians finally had their say.

And then smiled, when the people came back to the streets to clean them up.  What an inspiration!

But I fear for Egypt.  I fear the military will dash the hopes and dreams of the Egyptian people by not ensuring as smooth a (and still ongoing) transition as was seen through the post Suharto era in Indonesia under the leadership of President, B. J. Habibie, in 1998.

And I fear more for Egypt, not from any internal threat, stuff up or constitutional meltdown, but from the usual running interference of the USA, its allies and organisations like the IMF and World Bank.

The Egyptian military may show true leadership and deliver a free and fair election process to their people, and the people of Egypt may elect a socialist government to redress the social inequalities, injustices and outrages perpetrated against them over the last 30 years, by a government which was propped up by the US and its allies, who turned a blind eye to, and even took advantage of the very same injustices for their own clandestine purposes when it suited them.

And if this happens, then just as the USA and its allies could not bring themselves to support a democratically, freely and fairly elected Humas* administration in Palestine in 2006, I fear the USA and its allies, will do the same again in Egypt.

They will deny a freely and fairly elected socialist government in Egypt, not because the election, when it comes, is not free and fair, according to international observers.

They will deny it as a knee jerk reaction to "socialism" and the prospect of a socialist government.

Because when it comes down to it, the USA is not about "freedom and democracy".  It is about what's in it for them.  (Not that that should be a surprise to anyone who's watched international affairs played out by the USA over the last 60 years.)

If the USA were a person, based on their actions and reactions toward other people (nations), they might well be declared a paranoid sociopath with gambling, sex, shopping and violence addictions.

They would be locked up for their own good and other peoples' safety, to undergo treatment, and not be let out again until they showed that they weren't going to wave a gun around and shoot themselves or an innocent bystander, and they showed that they could play nice and share with the other kids in the playground.

So I fear for the Egyptian people.  Because despite their hopes, they may end up continuing to be a pawn in the usual game, either under military rule or yet another dictator who will be anointed as acceptable to the USA and its allies.  It will be back to business as usual.

* I will not get into the debate over terrorist organisation status, corruption or any other argument which seems to be bandied about in regard to Hamas.  The election was declared free and fair, and they were the winners under the constitutional rules the election was held under.  Either it's free and fair and democratic - the people having spoken; in which case, suck it up and let them try to transition to a legitimate govt. without preconditions for recognition, or it's not free and fair democratic - in which case; complain and whinge all you want and try to effect change.

But don't trumpet freedom and democracy, and then deny it when you don't like the outcome, otherwise you might be seen for the raging hypocrites you really are.

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