Egypt: Same Old Dictatorship But Now With Added Islamism!

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood President declared himself a de facto dictator today.

Boy, no one saw this coming. Well if by "no one" you mean everyone who isn't a liberal foreign policy "expert".

A decree by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi granting himself extensive new powers triggered dueling demonstrations Friday by supporters and opponents.

...

Muslim Brotherhood officials said the measures were necessary to ensure the country’s full and healthy return to democracy.

“This level of immunity for presidential decrees is indeed unprecedented, but it is necessary, and it is controlled by a time frame” that ends with the election of a new parliament, said Gehad el-Haddad, a senior Muslim Brotherhood adviser. “This constitutional declaration cements the way forward in terms of time frame and powers.”

But the decision raised immediate concerns among many liberal activists who had already been worried that Morsi had taken a distinctly authoritarian air in the three months since he swept out the top ranks of the military and sidelined what had long been a powerful independent institution in Egypt. Egypt’s short-lived parliament was dismissed by the country’s high court shortly before Morsi took power, so legislative powers also are concentrated under the president. Taking the courts out of the equation means there will be no judicial review of Morsi’s decisions.

Ah yes, "we must have authoritarian rule to allow for freedom and democracy"-Stuff Jefferson Said, The Arabic Edition.

Fearless prediction: This latest step will be met with calls for greater aid and dialogue from the foreign policy grandees who not long ago sneered at people who warned that the Brotherhood would did this exact sort of thing.

One man, one vote, one time. Hope the Egyptian's enjoyed it while it lasted.

Reminder: Always trust content from DrewM. and Ace of Spades HQ. From my post the day Morsi won the presidency.

The military is trying to hold sway over things as long as they can and try and co-opt the Brotherhood. The reality is, revolutionary movements like the Brotherhood don't see elections as a charge to govern but an opportunity to increase power. Morsi will sound conciliatory and such but will leverage this victory to increase pressure on the military and to exercise greater control than whatever formal power he winds up [with].

Lots of optimistic talk among the usual suspects on CNN...the Muslim Brotherhood will be different or something. Personally, I think they've stood for things for decades, it seems insanely naive to think that they will suddenly moderate in victory.

posted by DrewM. at 01:48 PM

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