Egypt's Strong Man.

News item by AP, February 13, 2014:

Vladimir Putin backs Egypt army chief’s run for president amid reports of $2.2B arms deal between nations 

The following text dates back to last September.

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It is very difficult to keep up with international news, even if you are a political junkie like me. Moreover, it is easy to loose track of the big picture when the media keep bringing us a daily feed of information bits, depending on the availability of airtime or space in the paper, once the big headlines took their toll. Furthermore, few people realize that what happens, let’s say in the Middle East, is more important for our future, and even for out present, than the latest row between the Federal government and one of the provinces.  For instance, what’s happening in Egypt is certainly of major consequences for us and for our children.

With more than 85 millions of citizens, Egypt is the most populous Arab country. Egypt’s geographic position combined with its powerful army makes it a major regional and, indeed, global player. After two recent revolutions, the Arab Republic of Egypt, its official name, is at a crossroad. That’s what professor Mona Makram- Ebeid[1] has brilliantly exposed, last September, in a University of Ottawa classroom.[2]

The majority of the audience, besides some officials including the Egyptian Ambassador, was composed by what I perceived as intellectuals of Egyptian or of Arab heritage. Only two women donned their hijab. Almost everybody understood a couple of interjections in Arabic, and the lively question period demonstrated the audience’s deep understanding of the Egyptian situation. The problem is that although Dr. Makram-Ebeid’s conference was obviously intended to what she called the Western media and public opinion; I haven’t seen one single journalist or a radio or TV crew. It’s a pity, because her insight of a complicated situation is powerful and revealing. A self-professed liberal with a small “l”, she has been deeply involved in Egyptian politics and has a thorough knowledge of her country, while having a very lucid perception of the West. That’s why her message should have been heard by our politicians and, most importantly, by our opinion makers.

Here are a few points from Dr. Makram-Ebeid’s exposé:

• ·      The camp that opposes the Muslim Brotherhood and ex-president Morsi encompasses tens of millions of Egyptians, nowadays a clear majority, in spite of Morsi’s election in 2012.
• ·      By imposing an inacceptable Constitution, by undermining Egypt’s fragile institutions and by trying to turn the country into a religious state, Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood forfeited their legitimacy.
• ·      Nonetheless, the Brotherhood remains a formidable force because of its social work, its excellent use of a state-of-the-art communication system and, most importantly, because it is the only organized political party.
• ·      Facing it, the Army is the only real institution that is widely respected by the Egyptians. This is partly due to the fact that every family has some personal connection to it.
• ·      The main gain of the latest revolution is that there is now a public opinion that became a major political force.
• ·      This public opinion is based on two essential aspirations: dignity and justice. Those two values, seems to trump what we call democracy.
• ·      Finally, albeit reluctantly, Dr. Makram-Ebeid recognises that what this public opinion is calling for now, is a “strong man”.

Needless to say that a sizeable part of the audience was taken aback by this suggestion, which proves that, after all, the host culture’s values sink quicker into the immigrants mind than previously thought.

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[1] Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid recently resigned from Egypt's Shura Council in support of the Tamarod movement.  She is the head of the Committee of Social Rights at the National Council on Human Rights. Dr. Makram-Ebeid is distinguished lecturer in the department of political science at the American University in Cairo, where she has been teaching for the past 17 years. She was a Member of Parliament in Egypt from 1990-1995. Prior to that, she worked as an adviser to the World Bank for the MENA region from 1992-1996. Later she was appointed as an expert to the U.N. Committee for Policy Development (CPD) from 2000-2003 and as a regional expert for the Arab States at the UNDP's Capacity 21 Programme from 2000-2003. She founded the Association for the Advancement of Education, was a member of the International Consultation Group for the Middle East at the Center For Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Washington, and is a founding member of the Arab Organization For Human Rights.  She is a frequent media commentator and often contributes to programs such as CNN, BBC Hard Talk, NBC, the Doha Debates, and Al Hurra. She was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award (AUC) and the grade of Officier de La Légion d'honneur (France) as well as the Hall of Fame award.

[2] Thanks to Professor Abdallah Obeid, Chair of Arabic Studies of the University of Ottawa, who organized the conference.