As a Liberal who believes in Democracy, a Jew and a Woman I feel compelled to defend the democratic rights of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. By now it is common knowledge that there has been a “Military Coup” in Egypt that has overthrown the Democratically elected government of Mohamed Morsi. US law is crystal clear in that if a democratically elected government is over thrown by force all military aid is to be cut off from that country until the rightful government is reinstated. Because Mohamed Morsi and his followers belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood our Congress and the Obama administration have chosen to look the other way and “not” call Morsi’s deposer a “coup”, thus triggering sanctions. Even Obama supporters like Eugene Robinson notice this "elephant in the room":
"A day after Egypt’s military-backed “interim” government slaughtered hundreds of protesters and assumed sweeping emergency powers, Obama still could not bring himself to call what is happening a coup d’etat. Speaking from Martha’s Vineyard, he described it as an “intervention.” In Cairo, meanwhile, authorities were still counting the bodies of those slain in Wednesday’s massacre."
Robinson finally deciding to "grow a pair" when on to state the obvious:
"But the way to oust elected leaders is with ballots, not bullets. How can the United States claim to stand for democracy and ignore this fundamental precept? How could Secretary of State John Kerry say, as he did earlier this month, that the Egyptian military was “in effect ... restoring democracy” by seizing power and throwing the president in jail?"
http://www.truthdig.com/...
One lone Senator (Rand Paul) like his father (Ron Paul) found the courage to confront the congress and the Obama administration pointing out their “unlawful” behaviour triggered the wrath of both heads of the beast that is the “Corporate Media”. MSNBC and FOX in unison attacked the younger Paul as they both have his father in the pass for daring to display intellectual honesty concerning our foreign policies.
Remember the Muslim Brother Hood did not keep a boot on the throats of the Egyptian people for 30 years; it was Mubarak and what Army?
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Egypt is a test case for groups like the Brother hood, Hamas (Gaza) who came in from “out of the cold”, laid down their arms and joined the political system; won elections only to be “violently” undermined by Lords of chaos (USA, Israel, Saudi Arabia). Make no mistake, the Egyptian military makes no moves without first checking with the regional “big three”.
As a Woman and a Jew I personally would not vote for the Brotherhood, but nor would I vote for many of the right-wing Christian Tea-Party types in this country. That being said, when the religious right win elections in this country being pro-democracy, I would never suggest that they be overthrown by our military. And if they were violently deposed like the Brotherhood I would I hesitate to call a “coup” a coup.
Bottom line is either we are for Democracy or we are not? Yes, Morsi and the Brotherhood did engage in "hard ball politics (stacking the courts) just as FDR, Reagen, and Bush in this country. What the Corporate Media here and in Egypt omits is that those same courts were filled with left over Mubarak supports who did everything possible to derail the revolution. Although I disagree with Juan Coles conclusion, I understand his reasoning.
http://www.truthdig.com/...
Note:
Chris Hedges at Truthdig sums up my feelings as to what is happening in Egypt in his latest post "Murdering the Wretched of the Earth":
http://www.truthdig.com/...