In Egypt, political ‘starting gun’ has been fired
Washington Examiner
18-Feb-2011

A similar confusion about who is a friend and who is a foe in Egypt reigns today, according to Michael Barone. Some in Washington want to reassure the public that the West has nothing to fear from Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood – a very optimistic view of that organization.

For those who suspect Egypt may go the same way as Iran, what specific parallels could one look for, in terms of internal developments in Egypt, that would strengthen their case?

Thanks to Huyser’s book, we have several potential parallels we can consider. I want touch on just two here:

--In Iran, some observers thought the Shah’s fall would provide enough of a symbolic victory for activists opposed to the political status quo that they would subsequently quiet down. That did not happen.

Iran’s religious extremists did not relax their efforts to seize power. They declared war against the tottering state institutions that the Shah left behind. As the Ayatollah Khomeini exhorted his followers after the Shah’s fall, “You have forced the main traitor into disgraceful escape. Keep up the struggle [against what was left of the Shah’s regime].”

To many of those who protested in Tahir Square, because of his pro-US views and his position towards Israel, Mubarak was only “the main traitor.” Who will they pursue next?

--As Iran’s armed forces struggled to maintain order after the Shah’s departure, and keep the economy running in the face of strikes, ... >>>

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