Egypt

The CIA and the Media

This is quite the article. I merely link the reader to an exceptional piece. Rather long, but worth every minute spent reading it. From 1977, but very applicable today. 

Carl Bernstein, by Carl Bernstein

After leaving The Washington Post in 1977, Carl Bernstein spent six months looking at the relationship of the CIA and the press during the Cold War years. His 25,000-word cover story, published in Rolling Stone on October 20, 1977, is reprinted below.

THE CIA AND THE MEDIA

How Americas Most Powerful News Media Worked Hand in Glove with the Central Intelligence Agency and Why the Church Committee Covered It Up

In 1953, Joseph Alsop, then one of America’s leading syndicated columnists, went to the Philippines to cover an election. He did not go because he was asked to do so by his syndicate. He did not go because he was asked to do so by the newspapers that printed his column. He went at the request of the CIA.

Alsop is one of more than 400 American journalists who in the past twenty‑five years have secretly carried out assignments for the Central Intelligence Agency, according to documents on file at CIA headquarters. Some of these journalists’ relationships with the Agency were tacit; some were explicit. There was cooperation, accommodation and overlap. Journalists provided a full range of clandestine services—from simple intelligence gathering to serving as go‑betweens with spies in Communist countries. Reporters shared their notebooks with the CIA. Editors shared their staffs. Some of the journalists were Pulitzer Prize winners, distinguished reporters who considered themselves ambassadors without‑portfolio for their country. Most were less exalted: foreign correspondents who found that their association with the Agency helped their work; stringers and freelancers who were as interested in the derring‑do of the spy business as in filing articles; and, the smallest category, full‑time CIA employees masquerading as journalists abroad. In many instances, CIA documents show, journalists were engaged to perform tasks for the CIA with the consent of the managements of America’s leading news organizations.

via www.carlbernstein.com

Egypt to France: Your Wheat Is Too Wet

Read on. WSJ.com, by Nina Rai

France Sends Egypt an Average of 1 Million Tons of Wheat a Year

Egypt's state grain agency has quietly changed the permissible amount of moisture in wheat it imports. The new rule means French wheat is too damp. Last summer, a harvester unloaded wheat into a wagon in southwest France. Bloomberg News

French wheat might be good enough for a baguette in Paris, but it no longer passes muster with the baladi-bread bakers of Cairo.

In a decision that has affronted the fraternité of French farmers, Egypt's state grain agency has quietly changed the permissible amount of moisture in wheat that it imports. That means France's stuff is too damp.

The Egyptian agency—known as the General Authority for Supply Commodities, or GASC—made no public announcement of the change, but traders familiar with the agency's tender process say it now will accept no more than 13% average moisture. French wheat has an average moisture content of 13.5%.

A hint of the change came Tuesday, when GASC released the results of its latest tender: It bought 240,000 metric tons of wheat, 180,000 tons from Russia and 60,000 tons of soft red winter wheat from the U.S. It bought nothing from France. A GASC spokesman couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

Primarily through GASC, Egypt is the world's largest importer of wheat, and the government-subsidized bread it is fashioned into is a vital food for a population of more than 80 million.

For France, the decision threatens to stymie an industry that is a source of national pride, and of exports. French farmers sent Egypt an average of 1 million tons of wheat a year over the past five years. France is one of Europe's major agricultural powers and a fierce guardian of its agrarian heritage.

A spokeswoman for Copa-Cogeca, the European farmers' union, said Egypt's change is "detrimental to the livelihood of French farmers." News of the change pushed Paris milling wheat futures to their lowest level in 4½ months Thursday, to €186 ($254) a metric ton intraday.

But Egypt's move reflects another reality about global wheat markets: There is such a glut of wheat that even cash-strapped Egypt can afford to be choosy.

High moisture in wheat reduces the amount of flour that can be milled from it. France has had trouble keeping its wheat dry. "We had a lot of problems with rainfall earlier in the year," says Virginie Nicolet, a spokeswoman for FranceAgrimer, the governmental farming body.

Wheat prices sank 22% in 2013, making the grain one of the year's worst-performing commodities. Expectations for bumper harvests out of big producers Australia, Canada and countries of the former Soviet Union were the main drivers of the selloff. Egypt also bought less than usual.

via online.wsj.com

Tony Blair backs Egypt's government and criticises Brotherhood

The Guardian by Patrick Kingsley

Former British PM says Muslim Brotherhood was stealing Egypt's revolution and army intervention has put it on right path

Tony Blair said the army had intervened after the Brotherhood tried to take Egypt 'away from its basic values of hope and progress'. Photograph: Chris Jackson/PA

Tony Blair has given staunch backing to Egypt's government following a meeting on Wednesday with its army leader, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.

In a television interview on Thursday morning, Britain's former prime minister said Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood had stolen Egypt's revolution, and the army who deposed him last July had put the country back on the path to democracy.

"This is what I say to my colleagues in the west," said Blair, visiting Egypt as a representative of the UN, the US, the EU and Russia in their attempts to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "The fact is, the Muslim Brotherhood tried to take the country away from its basic values of hope and progress. The army have intervened, at the will of the people, but in order to take the country to the next stage of its development, which should be democratic. We should be supporting the new government in doing that."

Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president, was removed by Sisi following days of mass protests. His many critics said Morsi had authoritarian leanings and that his removal was essential to prevent Egypt from eventually turning into an autocratic theocracy.

Rights groups say the government that replaced him has been anything but democratic – with more than a thousand dissidents killed, thousands more arrested, and the right to free assembly and free speech severely curbed. The day before Blair's comments were aired, 20 journalists were referred to court on terrorism allegations – charges a leading rights lawyer said returned Egypt to the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak.

Blair's office did not respond to a query about how the west could promote democracy without criticising lapses in democratic values.

In his television interview, he said: "Right here in Egypt I think it is fundamental that the new government succeeds, that we give it support in bringing in this new era for the people of Egypt. And, you know, we can debate the past and it's probably not very fruitful to do so, but right now I think it's important the whole of the international community gets behind the leadership here and helps."

Blair's comments are in keeping with his previous comments on the region. In the past, he has been supportive of autocratic rulers toppled during the 2011 revolutions such as Hosni Mubarak and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. His comments drew criticism from other British-based Middle East specialists.

"The Middle East is a huge region and cannot be broken down into simplistic black-and-white realities, into blocks of good and evil, or as one picture as Tony Blair continually promotes," said Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding.

"Too often the peoples in the region are presented a false choice between religious-based parties such as the Brotherhood and secular dictatorship. We should reject that. For sure the Muslim Brotherhood under Morsi failed to deliver but neither are the current Egyptian authorities [delivering].

"Dangerously, Blair and others are turning a blind eye to the suppression of human rights, the widespread arrests, the crackdown on freedom of media and the

via www.theguardian.com

Why do Egyptians revere him so?

In an interview in Davos, Switzerland, Hazim El Beblawi, Egyptian Prime Minister, addresses the expectations Egyptians have of General, Marshal as of today, Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Commander in Chief and Minister of Defence, to run for president of Egypt. He explains why El Sisi is exceptional, but, jokingly, he ends on the point, “Don’t forget he is a handsome man” Immediately, the Egyptians’ esteem towards Beblawi plummeted, not that it was high in the first place. As far as Egyptians are concerned, El Sisi is above criticism, jokes, or ridicule.

The same happened when Egypt’s Jon Stewart, Bassem Youssef, aimed, without naming, his satire at El Sisi and the army. Since he chose to go that route, Youssef has been off the air; the owners of CBC decided he had gone too far. Youssef will definitely return to the screen, for many channels will grab his show “El Bernameg.” It’ll be interesting then to see whether his ratings will soar or plunge.

The reverence and respect towards General El Sisi is unrivaled. El Sisi has no equal amongst Egyptians today; they carry his pictures, dance to his tunes, and ratify the referendum with a 98% yes vote after he asked them to go to the polls. Egyptians, from elitists to the grassroots, revere him. It is actually quite an interesting phenomenon, which deserves the analysis. So why do Egyptians revere him so?

Beblawi’s not-thought-out joke regarding El Sisi does not apply. El Sisi is not Nasser, the man many Egyptians idol today 44 years after his death. El Sisi neither has Nasser’s looks nor his charisma. But Sisi is pleasant looking, charming in approach, with an Egyptian demeanor and a great smile. Though this is not enough to get Egyptians, and women in particular, all worked up about him or infatuated by him, his salient traits are many.

First, Sisi speeches are unique. While Morsi yelled at Egyptians, Sisi speaks softly and genuinely; his voice is barely audible, which makes his audience listen even more carefully. His usage of colloquial Egyptian instead of formal standard Arabic has his message reaching all Egyptians. He also speaks to Egyptians instead of about them, a rare asset in any spokesperson; so when he addresses Egyptians, they listen.

At first glance, he seems overly sentimental, but possibly that is why Egyptians admire him: his speaking from the heart. Most of his popular phrases are now classics: “You are the light of our eyes; may our hands be cut before we harm one of you; I should be the one condoled for these are my children.” Juxtaposed against Morsi’s “Gas and alcohol don’t mix; some go to constricted alleys to err; only 6, 7, 3, 8 protested” make Sisi look regal.

Again, El Sisi, in contrast to Morsi, does not flare up, does not go into long-winded convoluted speeches, and, though very religious, does not complement his speeches with out-of-context and unnecessary quotes from the Quran. When Sisi is caught on camera, he is seen as being respectful to everyone, even the most modest. Speaking to the man who lost his son the soldier, and the simple old woman who cheered his presence, he greeted them humbly. It wasn’t a swift handshake; it is a genuine stop of everything else.

As far as Egyptians can tell, El Sisi is leaving the running of the country to the government and the interim president. This is a point in his favour, for though he is the most powerful man today, he doesn’t interfere in the work of others. And his speeches have never addressed but issues he is responsible for such as defence and security.

According to Egyptians, another point in his favour is his standing up to the US.“You turned your back on the Egyptians, and they won’t forget that,” said an indignant Gen. Abdel Fatah Al-Sissi, speaking of the U.S. Government. “Now you want to continue turning your backs on Egyptians?”  This resonated well with Egyptians as the US/Egyptian relations faltered.

Another reason why El Sisi is revered is how he contrasts sharply with all the rest. To Egyptians, he hasn’t sided with his clan, betrayed Egypt, or escaped on the first plane out of the country, but he remained set on the course: to lift Egypt out of its misery. As the going got tougher, the man remained resolute and unwavering.

Most important, El Sisi did the impossible: he rid the country of the most hated president in Egypt’s modern history. He watched closely, realized Egypt’s plight, and then took the action Egyptians wanted. Egyptians can hardly ignore that had it not been for Sisi, they may still be stuck with Morsi’s bizarre speeches, flagrant bias, and despotic decrees. This is the main reason why El Sisi is honoured and respected, and why he is placed on a pedestal and emulated.

Though most Egyptians believe that El Sissi has been tried and tested, this is not the case. There is more to leading a country than a single though very decisive decision. Still, if anyone has a chance to get much out of Egyptians, it is El Sisi. As long as they continue to value him, they will be willing to comply with his rules and follow the course he sets for them.

The fine line

‪@Rabaarises‬‬‬, a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood as the name implies, sent me a YouTube video of the police detaining a youngster who pleads with the officers to let him go, crying, “I swear I love Sisi.”

The footage has nothing violent about it, and the police doesn't treat the boy too badly, but it was disturbing nonetheless. The question here is have Egyptians gone overboard with their hatred of the Brotherhood to the extent that they go after youngsters? Has the fine line been crossed?

In this particular case, what the youngster did earlier to deserve being detained is unknown. The officers couldn’t have gone after an innocent boy for no particular reason. Besides, a 14- or 15-year-old can do extensive harm; just about anyone can concoct a Molotov bomb today. His cry for help is meaningless, too, obviously a way to get out of a beating or detainment.

Still, January 25th was a day of juxtaposition. It was filled with emotions jamming against one another: the good and the bad.

A day earlier Egyptians witnessed several explosions go off across Egypt. The footage of the truck detonated from afar was played all day long—the driver jumping swiftly out of the white truck into the black sedan that stood adjacent, and the bomb going off. Blood-splattered fallen were photographed, the Museum of Islamic Antiquity was lamented as a grave loss, and the fear of similar attacks the next day was exemplified. The threat was clear: Egyptians stay at home, don’t venture out tomorrow, and don’t celebrate.

Egyptians feared not; they celebrated January 25th to the hearts’ content and filled squares with flags and photographs of their beloved ‘potential’ leader.

However, amidst the celebratory atmosphere, other parts of Cairo were inflamed with Muslim Brotherhood protestors, first, attacked by other Egyptians, and, second, shot at by the police. In a retaliatory disposition, the police force did not use tear gas but used live ammunition. One witness said, “The bodies of youngsters were lined up on the curb.”

One particular photograph of another teenager staring at his torn knee having lost most of his hand was heart wrenching. Brotherhood members display the footage as proof that a helpless child had held his hand up in the Rabaa sign and had it blown off. Other Egyptians say he was handling a Molotov bomb, and it blew up in his hand. The truth is lost.

In total 28 Egyptians died on January 25th, mostly Muslim Brotherhood members. Those protestors may have carried weapons and the odd Molotov bomb, but the point Egyptians need to understand is that these protestors are not the ones who bombed Cairo the previous day. And here is where the fine line should be drawn.

I’m totally against the concepts and behaviour of the Muslim Brotherhood, I abhor their leaders and their views, and I watch with horror how Muslim Brotherhood affiliates if not them terrorize Egyptians. I also count our blessings every day that we were able to rid ourselves of the worst president ever, a president who deserves to be tried for treason. And I’m against blind reconciliation.

However, going overboard in our treatment of those who don’t follow our principles is wrong; turning leaders into dictators because we worship blindly is also wrong. No specific group owns Egypt. Egypt is for all as long as those with opposing views still care for Egypt and wish it well.

How is protesting and celebrating any different? In a sense, it is a gathering of more than ten persons, a prohibition that the Protest Law forbids. A permit was not needed to congregate in Tahrir; quite the contrary, it was encouraged. The fine line that distinguishes between protesting and celebrating should not exist. Both entail large gatherings. The difference lies in one being with the authorities and one not.

The activists detained yesterday were neither harming nor threatening anyone. They were merely asking for what they considered their rights. This should not be a crime in today’s Egypt. True, their timing is deplorable, but crossing the fine line into prohibiting rights is wrong, too.

In the better Egypt, Egyptians will be free to carry Rabaa signs, shout against the regime, and call for judgement, as long as no one is being threatened or harmed, no vindictive action is taking place, and protests are peaceful. But the more the Muslim Brotherhood members harm, the more Egyptians will rage and see nothing but one route: to muffle the voice of those who don’t follow their path.

Then again, change will take time to be implemented. Egyptians will need to trust and believe before they can forgive and forget. They need to feel secure before they know that opposing views cannot destroy Egypt.

Another year gone by

As the taxi driver heads towards the apartment building, once again the main street, housing a police station, is closed off to traffic. He turns right and takes the parallel street. But before he does that, I turn and look at the barricade. A puny structure, equivalent in size and shape to that used in hurdles, is standing mid street and is accompanied by a forlorn policeman; they, the hurdle and the policeman, obstruct traffic and guide it to the adjacent street. Yes, armoured vehicles and better equipped and shielded men surround the police station itself, but all I could think of was the fate of this lonely policeman if a suicide bomber decides that it is indeed this police station that is due to be bombed today.

I wondered about his thoughts and feelings. He can do pretty much nothing but stay put; I guess he accepts his fate. “If I am due to die today, then all be it, I’ll die today,” must be the surrendering thought.

How many other structures and those inhabiting these structures can the security apparatus defend? Does it have the devices and the know-how to protect, first, its own men, and second, Egyptians in general? How will it react if the Muslim Brotherhood, and its accomplices, aims for the public instead: malls, cinemas, crowded areas, parks, etc. The probability gives me the shudders.

Cairo today is yet again mourning its dead and fate. On the Eve of January 25^th, 2014, several terrorist attacks left six dead and almost a hundred injured. The first blast hit the Security Building in Downtown Cairo across from the Islamic Antiquity Museum. Several dead were reported, and both buildings suffered extensive damage with both facades destroyed. Soon afterwards several bombs blasted across Cairo and in other regions of Egypt.

While it has already been three years since the Revolution, no evidence of positive change has occurred, tangible change that Egyptians can feel. Quite the opposite, matters have gone from bad to worse. 

On one front, the Muslim Brotherhood, or its affiliates, is aiming at the destruction of Egypt. Now that the Islamist leader is gone and the chance of regaining power is dimming, militant Islamists aim for destabilizing by terrorizing.

The activists are at the other end of the spectrum. They are dissatisfied with the Brotherhood and its collaborators, Mubarak and his feloul, and the army and El Sissi. Activists may remain perennially dissatisfied unless culprits are judged and the fallen avenged.

The government is also under a huge strain. With all the bloody terror attacks, the activists and their dissatisfaction, and the inherited economic burden, it is in total disarray accomplishing little.

Yet in spite of all the gloom, Egypt is not the Egypt of three years ago, its people changed. The blasé, nonchalant Egyptians are gone for good; in their place are forthright, vigilant, politically astute, and keenly aware citizens.

Though worried, and they have every right to be, they have come alive. In particular the Kanaba aka Sofa Party has suddenly emerged to play a role and have a voice. This group construes the masses; those who watched the revolution unfold and opted to stay out of it either because they were doubtful of the consequences or because they had lives to live.

Today the Sofa Party is alive and well. These are the Egyptians who filled the streets on June 30^th; they are the same Egyptians who will effect change by the choices they make. Their choice today is clear: a firm, strong leader, one who can retrieve the lost stability and security.  And since they are the masses, they will succeed in deafening the dreamers from both sides: the Brotherhood followers and the Utopia seekers.

Neither group will win. The Brotherhood has lost the battle, and the more its members dig in their heels, the deeper they sink into their own disgruntlement. As for the activists, aka the Utopia seekers, they will remain a force, a hopeful force, which will set the ground rules for the new Egypt. That is in the long run, not today. Today, Egypt needs a firm, vigilant hand that can unify the masses behind it against terror.  

Three years is a short period in history, but it was a long, strenuous three years for Egyptians. 

Update: January 25th, 11 a.m. Today the policeman standing at the barricade is indeed wearing a protective shield. 

10 Things You'll Appreciate About Egypt While Living Abroad

Prime Magazine, by Shadin Gomaa

1. The weather
Believe it or not, the whole four-seasons-a-year thing is not a myth. They have actual snow abroad but, while it’s nice and pretty, the niceness only lasts the first day. Then when you have to trudge through mounds of snow, it just becomes another workout you want to avoid.

2. Your nagging family
Living on my own and having to actually feed myself was a struggle I never saw coming. We all complain about how our families basically shove food down our throats (then later comment on how we’ve gained weight) but, trust me, being overfed beats starving half to death because it’s too cold to go outside or you’re too lazy to make something (in my case, it’s usually both).

3. El Shatafa
It baffles me how countries can be considered “developed” without this miraculous invention. Savor it while you can. Wet wipes just don’t cut it.

4. The generosity

Despite being an extremely poor country, you’ll always see people getting into pretty serious fights about who’s going to pay the bill. On the other hand, in countries drowning in riches, you’ll never fail to hear: “so…about those 75 cents I lent you nine weeks ago?”

5. The language
Some words simply do not have English equivalents: ya3ni, fakis, aslan. I find myself constantly dropping one or two of these in every conversation I have, which are met by bewildered looks from the person in front of me. On the other hand, you’ll find yourself throwing up a little in your mouth whenever you hear any of their slang: ”ballin’,” “ratchet,” “turn up.” No…just no.

6. The social life
Even though it takes hours to get from point A to B in Cairo, the abundance of point Bs more than makes up for it. Cairo is a city that never sleeps…and if you’re underage in a foreign country, your options for outings are quite limited.

7. The culture
That is, having a culture. You’ll appreciate being in a country where everyone has a common history and a rich culture that goes back hundreds of years. On the other hand, you’ll find that countries like the U.S. or Canada have people from so many different backgrounds it’ll make you feel like you’re a hundred places at once. 

8.    The sense of community
Especially after the revolution(s), Egypt has experienced a growing sense of nationalism and unity. Everyone’s proud to be Egyptian and you’ll start to feel like you’re missing out on everything that’s going on right now.

9.    The chaos

Yep, you read it right the first time. I never thought I’d say this but the chaos of the hectic streets of Cairo during rush hour is one of the things I truly miss about living in Egypt. The casual khena2a here and there or people’s morbid curiosity when there’s an accident. Turning two lanes into fifty, hearing people swearing and joking, or simply stepping out of their car f nos el da2ery to take a breather is a sight you’ll rarely find elsewhere.

10. Fast food delivery
Enough said.

 via primemag.me

Give Egypt some credit: Column

USA Today, by Kirsten Powers,

(Photo: Sabry Khaled, El Shorouk, via AP)

Egypt made history over the weekend. For the first time, this ancient society has a constitution that protects the rights of women, bans religious discrimination and provides the framework for a government with more secular values. This stands in stark contrast to Egypt's previous constitutions.

The country's elections commission announced Saturday that the groundbreaking constitution was approved by 98.1% of voters. Presidential and parliamentary elections are slated to be held in the coming months. What should be a moment of celebration by Egypt's friends has instead invited withering criticism and calls to abandon this important U.S. ally at a critical moment in their history.

The Washington Post editorial board recently blasted Egypt's "bogus democracy" for the constitution's alleged failure to sufficiently diminish the power of the military. They then demanded the U.S. cut off all aid. Secretary of State John Kerry insinuated that the vote in favor of the constitution involved fraud, though none has been proven. His complaint ignores the Muslim Brotherhood's boycott of the referendum, which might explain the lack of opposition in the results as well as the lower-than-expected turnout. Thirty-nine percent of eligible voters came out; slightly more than the 33% who voted in the referendum for President Mohammed Morsi's 2012 constitution.

Amr Moussa, the president of the committee that drafted the new constitution, expressed frustration with how the historic nature of this referendum is being ignored in the West. He told me in an interview, "This is the first time that women have full political, social and economic rights and can hold all government positions. The right of belief is now absolute. The right to express yourself freely [is protected]. This is all new."

These rights are fundamental to democracy and were absent in the previous "democratic" Morsi constitution.

Dr. Mona Makram-Ebeid, a former member of Egypt's parliament and a professor at the American University in Cairo, told me, "Women are making history in Egypt. This referendum propelled women into the mainstream of political life. For the first time it says in the constitution there is equality between men and women. It condemns any violence against women, which includes domestic violence."

This is not to say that there are no criticisms to be made of the Egyptian government. There are many. But expecting Egypt to transition seamlessly from a repressive, autocratic regime to an American-style democracy overnight is unreasonable and myopic.

Former Ambassador to Egypt Frank G. Wisner – who was President Obama's envoy to Egypt in 2011 – told me that he finds the criticisms of the constitution off base. He said, "[This] is a pretty good constitution, and it provides for at least the formal trappings of political engagement. What it does that irritates [Americans] is it entrenches the position of the army, police and judges. But that is a reflection of Egyptian political reality. Egyptians want [them] entrenched." This instinct, he says, flows from the fact that, "Egyptians hate chaos…they look around Arab world, and say 'do we want to go down road of Libya or Syria or Yemen? No. We don't want the chaos."

Makram-Ebeid summed it up, saying, "Everything is not rosy…but Egypt is starting to define itself in a new manner that is more democratic and modern. It is becoming a democracy."

Now is not the time to abandon them.

Kirsten Powers writes weekly for USA TODAY and is a Fox News political analyst.

via www.usatoday.com

Western Media Promotes Anti-Democrat Agenda with Egypt Coverage

Finally some truth. Breitbart, by Tara Dahl

As Egyptians went to the polls this week to vote on a constitutional referendum, Western media organizations were busy interviewing Western analysts about Western concerns for Egypt's future. In stark contrast to that grim analysis provided by people who don’t live in Egypt, the mood on the streets and at the polling stations here was remarkably upbeat. People were celebrating in the streets as they went to the polls to cast their vote.

I have been on the ground here since July 3rd, the day Mohamed Morsi was removed from power by a massive democratic revolt, even larger than the movement that removed Mubarak from power. From the celebrations in Tahrir Square, to standing in the burned-out shells of Coptic churches up and down the Nile, I've witnessed first-hand the highs and lows since that time. The reality on the ground in Egypt is completely different than what you will read in the Washington Post or the New York Times. The western media is not representing the truth of the situation here in Egypt, but seem to be pandering to an anti-democratic and politically incompetent group that has been openly rejected by the majority of the Egyptian people. The realization that Egyptians are fighting the war on terrorism – daily -  in their own backyards does not seem to register or resonate with the Western media; they seem to be too concerned about promoting “democracy” than the value of human lives in a nation gripped by Islamist violence.

The same pundits that are criticizing Egypt’s democratic roadmap are the very same people who I imagine will criticize the will of the Egyptian people for summoning General el-Sisi to run for President. The question is: are they really promoting democracy?  If they are, it would make sense that they should fully support the will of the Egyptian people as it has been expressed by peaceful marches and ballots.  Democracy requires governance by and for the people, not decided once, but over and over.  Democracy allows for the removal of an unjust leader through due process; as our founding fathers recognized, when a ruler abuses his power, it is a nation’s duty to depose him and restore a just order.  Democracy hinges on the willingness of men and women to resist movements and ideologies that have no respect for limited government, but who choose to embrace any tactic that will bring them to the top.  What made George Washington remarkable - and what shocked European monarchs - was that he stepped down from power when he could have easily stayed president for life. 

The Washington Post has parroted claims that Egypt’s military regime is “…installing an autocracy more repressive than any the country has known for decades” and that “citizens are being summoned to the polls to vote on a new constitution”. The image that the Western media is disseminating on the Egyptian military is completely unfounded and could not be farther from the truth. I have witnessed first-hand the love and admiration that the Egyptian people have for their military. There is a special bond between the people and the military here in Egypt; it is a very unique relationship. The people trust the military and praise them for protecting them against the violence of the Muslim Brotherhood.

In interviews I conducted this week at numerous polling stations, two dominant messages were expressed by the voters: hope at beginning to put Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood behind them; and bewilderment at the obtuseness of the Obama administration's failure to recognize and adapt to the tectonic shifts that were occurring in Egypt and the broader Middle East.

Another recurring theme was displeasure with the Western media for their one-sided coverage of events. This was reinforced this week, as there were numerous attempts by Muslim Brotherhood supporters to disrupt voting and intimidate voters at the polls. A bomb blast at a Giza courthouse as voting was 

set to begin on Tuesday, and masked gunmen opening fire on churches in Fayoum and Sohag were conspicuously absent from much of the Western media reporting this week. And I stood in a burned-out police station in Heliopolis just hours after it had been torched during a Muslim Brotherhood “protest”. That, too, eluded the notice of Western reporters.

Here are some of the comments taken from my interviews with Egyptian voters this week to get a sense of the mood:

Dr. Noha Bakr, college professor

“Due to the high turn out on the constitution referendum, it took me three hours to be able to cast my vote. I was very happy to stand and witness how everyone was standing full of hope and confidence in the future. Everyone around made me feel we are moving forward to a better Egypt, unlike the 2012 constitution referendum where many felt it was institutionalizing an Islamic Empire on the Expense of our Egyptian Identity”

Samira Habashy, 42 yrs old

"One million yeses, Sisi is our President from now. Next 15th January we are going to be happy as the results of today. With our spirit and our life we are going to say yes for Sisi."

Khaled Khalil, 50 yrs old

“Today means the interpretation of 30 June. I read the Constitution and made sure to read it and I agree 95% with it…the future is not easy, we still have challenges...people must understand there are differences between the U.S., Europe and Egypt in democracy. We have to take step by step to build our democracy.”

Essam Moustafa Mahran, 43 yrs old

“This is the first step in the road map for Egypt. The Egyptian nation has chosen a new life with most of the Christian and Muslim community with unity…If General Sisi will go for the President election, I will have the honor to be the first one to give my voice for his vote.”

Tahany Ahmed Mohamed 69 yr old lady, former lawyer

“Very happy, a happy day. We destroyed terrorism and the Muslim Brotherhood. Obama is not good, we love Americans, but we are against the Obama Administration. The Egyptian American relations forever.”

Nagwa Hassain, 75 yr old lady

“This is considered no less than the biggest festival of occasions in the Islamic religion, such as the sacrifice of feast or Ifthar feast…Obama is supporting the Muslim Brotherhood since day one. I thought and believed Obama was the symbol of democracy, but after what he has done, I am very disappointed and can’t rely on him anymore”.

Safinaz Abd Almageed, 76yr old lady

“I love Egypt. The future will be good…America, I am sorry to say, that it is against terrorism but She [America] helped terrorism in Egypt, and for that, all Arabs do not love the American Administration. They never do what they have promised or said, but we love the American people.”

Manwa Yehia, mother 38 yrs old

“It is a big day for all the Egyptian people. Voting for our country and the future of our children. I need a good future for my son…I don’t know why Obama is supporting terrorism and why he wants to destroy Egypt…Do you, the American people, support your President and his regime? We know the American people are kind people. We here are certain that the American people don’t approve of what Obama is doing”.

Merna Nadra, 21 yrs old

“Egypt will be in safe hands. We love the military and we trust them. They stand with the Egyptians and they protect Egypt. We were in danger with the Muslim Brotherhood…America should understand the Egyptian people and their desire to be free. I invite the American people to come to Egypt and see we are not a terrorist state. The Muslim Brotherhood are the terrorists.”

With the constitutional referendum overwhelmingly passed – with millions more voting than during the Islamist referendum in December 2012 - the interim government will now proceed with presidential and parliamentary elections. As the third anniversary of the January 25th Revolution approaches, all Egyptians need to work to put the past behind them and embrace the future ahead without consideration of the scorn of Western governments and media. As was true for our own War for Independence and subsequent history, the process is not perfect. But I saw this week that many Egyptians are trying their best, and as longtime allies, and as a democracy with our own shortcomings, we should support them in their aspirations to become a more free and more secure country.

via www.breitbart.com

Exclusive: Records Prove Muslim Brotherhood Delegates Skipped U.S. Airport Inspections

The part on Egypt is here; for the rest of the article, read on. Algemeiner.com, by Steven Emerson 

Newly released records confirm a 2012 Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) report that the State Department cleared the way for a visiting delegation of Muslim Brotherhood officials to enter the country without undergoing routine inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents.

The April 2012 visit came before the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate was elected Egypt’s president, although the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) had won a plurality of seats in parliamentary elections. The expedited entry is known as a “port courtesy” – normally reserved for high-ranking visiting government officials and dignitaries.

The records, marked “sensitive but unclassified,” were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. They offer few details. The State Department released a one-page document labeled “Compiled References to MB Delegation Arrival and Departure” containing four separate communications between March 30 and April 16, 2012, about the Brotherhood delegation. It is not clear who wrote them or who received them.

“In the coming days, we’re going to write down a list of procedures for dealing with MB visits to the United States,” an April 16, 2012, entry says.

A March 30 communication offers help dealing with “FJP Delegation and POE [port of entry] Courtesies: Please let the desk know over the weekend if you’d like our help submitting to DHS the ‘Special Alerts,’ which are used to request that travelers not be pulled into secondary [inspection] upon arrival at a point of entry.”

But one member of the Brotherhood delegation, which met with U.S. academic and senior government officials, had been linked to a child pornography investigation in the United States years earlier. Under normal circumstances, he likely would have been subjected to extra scrutiny.

The records released do not address that issue. They do, however, report that “The MB/FJP delegation’s scheduler reported that their arrival at JFK on Saturday went very smoothly.”

And the official in question, Abdul Mawgoud Dardery, traveled separately and was escorted through security checks in Minneapolis and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport “in response to a request from the MB … We did not hear anything further from the MB so we assume to departure went smoothly,” the records state.

In addition, the Muslim Brotherhood has open connections with Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group that was created to be the Brotherhood’s Palestinian jihadist wing. That fact would have made a secondary inspection for the delegation a natural, if not for the State Department’s instructions.

A U.S. official familiar with immigration procedures told the IPT in 2012 that the exemption for the Brotherhood delegation was “extraordinary.”

The Brotherhood quickly alienated Egyptian masses, who took to the streets in historic numbers demanding the removal of President Mohamed Morsi. Egypt’s army forced Morsi from office after one year and arrested him in last July.

via www.algemeiner.com