Muslim brothers Clarify Their Position on the Holocaust

"Akef, whose group won 88 of the Egyptian parliament's 454 seats in elections in November and December, made his comment in an attack on the United States' assertion that it is promoting democracy in the Middle East.

He said the U.S. campaign was a cover for promoting its own interests and those of the Zionist movement in the region.

`American democracy ... steers the world into the American orbit delineated by the sons of Zion, so that everyone must wear the Stars and Stripes hat and keep away from the Zionist foster child,'' he wrote in his weekly statement."  NY Times

Someone among my correspondents wrote recently to say, that I should relax, that "all such" extremist movements in the Middle East become political parties embedded in the body politic of their country over time and are rendered harmless, by being involved with "real" concerns.

I suppose that the Egyptian Muslim Brothers (MB) would be a good example.  Stimulated by the bloviations of academics who generally believe that the evil deeds of Western countries and the "oppression" of autocratic government are responsible for Islamic extremism, the US Government has been inspired to foster the political empowerment of the MB in Egypt.  As a result the MB in Egypt grew its caucus in the Cairo parliament from 11 seats to 88 in the recent election.  Feeling its "oats" it now speaks up in defense of a belief held by many in the Islamic World, namely that the Holocaust is an invention of Western propaganda designed as "cover" for yet more evil deeds by the USA under the guidance of "Zionism."  Zionism is here used in quotes because it is not the Zionism of the Zionists to which they refer, but rather the "Zionism" of the "Protocols of the Wise Men of Zion" in which many of the same people fervently believe.  For those who may not have heard of this interesting work of political fantasy, it is a document written in central Europe in the 19Th Century purporting to be the records of the planning conference at which the Jews laid out their plan to take over the world.  Someone should ask Mr. Akef if he believes in that as well.

I will say again, Islamist movements have two agenda items in common:

1- They intend to create Sharia law states in preparation for merger of these states into the Umma.  Within those states they will tolerate nothing that is at odds with their view of Islam.

2- Antipathy to the West and particularly to the US as leader of the West is a "treasured" belief since they see all of mankind as locked in a struggle between the Muslims and "the other."

Among Islamists such beliefs are so strong that any and all actions by "the other" are interpreted on the basis of learning what evil purpose "the other" had in them.

Pat Lang

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-mideast-egypt-brotherhood.html

Comments

[S.S.D.]

Why did my post get deleted?

[W. Patrick Lang]

S.S.D.

It is not delayed I rejected it. It is my blog and you are banned. pl

[avedis]

"I will say again, Islamist movements have two agenda items in common......."

Yes, but how to stop them from achieving their objective?

The elections in Iran and Iraq (and elsewhere) suggest that the Islamist movement have a certain appeal for the populace.

I agree with your persective re: the bloviating of domestic academics. Yet, can you dismiss completely the idea that the US has projected an image through certain policies that help create a aura of attractiveness to Islamists movements?

I'm not talking about the hard core - they are what they are regardless of our actions/policies and they need to be dealt with through more severe and terminal means.

I am referring to the "street"; the voting populations. Afterall, without them, the hardcore is nothing more than a desparate fringe group.

At any rate, how would you propose altering the situation such that a better outcome occurs?

[Serving Patriot]

COL,
One point to consider with respect to MB gains in Egypt to understand exactly what level of support they actually enjoy.

Less than 25% of Egyptians who could vote are registered to vote. The turnout among registered voters was also small. Both the low registration rates and turnout are attributed to "passive" opposition to the current government and ruling NDP. I attribute it more to traditional Egyptian passivity and patient endurance.

So, how does one really judge the MB strength? Clearly, among those who did vote, they had gains (although this is not surprising). But, it does not necessarily portend the imminent rise of (another) sharia-ocracy in the region. Or that the MB has a large constiuency. (This is one reason why I think the Ikwan still has to conform to what the Egyptian people want and not solely rely on the tired dogmas of the past.)

The current situation will force us (the US) to make some choices. Do we continue to pressure Mubarek and his increasingly shakey "democratic" government to hew to the deomcratic process and incorporate the Ikwan's demands (and accept the likely anti-American result)? Or do we reverse course and follow the more traditional "support the dictator-at least he's OUR dictator" path? Do we give up now on the vast majority, or find a way to continue to connect to the "average Egyptian" who needs a job, clean water, education, and a home?

Given our recent track record in the region, I have my doubts we'll make the best decision - or even a learned one.

SP

[W. Patrick Lang]

SP

Without wanting to be argumentative, I would say that until we have some way to judge the sentiments of the unregistered 75% we know little about the state of MB support. I am leery of imputing to Islamist movements a willingness to listen to anything but the "voices" in their heads. Do we have such data about the 75%?

Remember the "hunt" for the "moderates" among the Iranian mullahs? we are still looking for them. Pat

[Ousmane okohia]

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