Various

Adam Silverman has been given author privileges here.  A number of others have as well and have never used them.  Remember, if you do that I expect you to edit your own writings, not me.

In re the gibberish in the media, the MB in Egypt is a specific political-religious institution.  That is quite different from the general religiosity of the Egyptian people which is also a major factor.  pl 

Comments

[Adam L Silverman]

Sir: Thanks its an honor and a privilege and I'm happy to help out.

To SSTers: I'm quickly learning the contributor/moderator ropes, and have newfound for respect for how COL Lang keeps this place running!!!!! Its a lot more work than I previously understood and I've only got one thread up and going. Just as a head's up: I try to check comment submissions and approve them as quickly as I can after I get the notification of submission. If there is a lag, or you don't see it go up right away, it is likely that I'm doing my day job and can't take a break. Same if you see your comment go up and you don't see me responding right away.

[Charles I]

Mr. Silverman is a generous scholar, as are you.

The MB get the same treatment though. The natural and politically motivated charitable programs operated by the MB in lieu of government programming are painted solely as a malign channel to the masses by a million moles burrowing into the fabric of society. Filling a breach they can't win in any case. Unless they were to repent and accept Jesus.

A Natural response to social need in a society that believes in Ummah. Over here it was called compassionate conservatism by governments seeking to limit government, empower their chosen social groups - churches - whilst abandoning its citizenry to the private spheres as far as possible.

Plus la change.

[Arun]

I have a dumb question. Presumably Israel has already worried about the Mubarak succession in Egypt (he's 82!) and that a new regime might be installed that is less inclined to hold a US-sponsored peace that is less than popular among the Egyptian masses; and have figured out that not having a negotiated peace with the Palestinians won't matter if such a regine comes to pass; and so they are quite calm about what is going on in Egypt?

[DaveGood]

I too have read that the MB provide services to the Egyptian people that the government doesn't or won't.

Medical care and education for the poor, small pensions for widows, jobs for the unemployed and so on.

I also hear that much of the funding for that originates from Saudi Arabia.

How accurate is that picture?

And if it is in any way accurate why would Egyptians not vote for the MB? And why should they be discouraged and\or punished for doing so?

You are a major addition to the strength of this much admired website Mr Silverman.

I look forward to reading anything you contribute.

Good fortune to you sir.

DaveGood

[Patrick Lang]

DaveGood

It is tyoically the case that Islamic poitical/religious groups provide welfare services. I think it is quite likely that after a political campaign the electorate would vote for a wide variety of Islamic political organizations, among them, the MB. pl

[CK]

The 1978 Camp David bribe of $2 billion a year to Egypt did not have a COLA.
So while the original bribe worked out to approx $50/Egyptian then, the current bribe is approx $25/Egyptian( nominally ) or about $7/Egyptian in the purchasing power of a 1978 dollar.
Of course the annual bribe was not spread among the populace for any betterment
thereof.
In other delightful news, the king of Jordan has fired his cabinet too, and marches and disturbances have appeared in Djibouti from whence the USA runs its current Somalia fiasco.
Meanwhile with a North Korean level 99% affirmative vote, South Sudan has voted to secede from the union. Supposedly, the Sudanese govt has wished them well and sent them on their merry way. I await the other sandal dropping on this one. And the Hillary has called a meeting of all the ambassadors for this week.

[Patrick Lang]

CK

The South Sudan thing puzzles me as well. will the Khartoum crowd accept this and how was it arranged? pl

[J]

Adam,

With your work and all, don't burn the candle at both ends.

[Charles I]

will the Khartoum crowd accept this and how was it arranged? pl

Surely there's a plan b, bit of famine here, a false flag there, arguing over the oil revenues and blowing up the pipeline ought to keep them busy a while while its worked out, surely new IMF loans will be required, some "freeing up" of the economy, there's a million ways. . . . of course that was before this past week. . .

[DaveGood]

All points that give me cause for concern too CK.

As for South Sudan, my understanding is that it is a largely christian area that has had centuries of being ruled by an islamic north that practised slavery on it.

If that simplistic generalisation has truth in it ( plus the known history of north on south violence during the last fifteen or so years) then a 99 per cent vote by the south to kiss the north goodbye isn't "North Korean", it's what we'd do if we lived there.

Like you, I too do not know how this will work out in practise, since China has signed contracts with Khartoum, and spent billions on, developing oil fields, that now lie in ( apparently) another country.

I don't see it ending well, on the other hand, the last couple of decades have been damn miserable for almost everyone there.

As for the rest, it does seem that trouble coming our way is accelerating both in weight and numbers.

Sorry but don't expect much help from the UK.

We are being run by a bunch of preppy over privileged school children who are about to tank our economy good and proper. (Just clipped off 0.5 per cent GDP last quarter and by all accounts that is just the start)

[fanto]

One of the global ramifications of the current events in ME, IMHO, will be increased exodus of well educated Israelis to US, Canada,Spain Germany, South America, Poland, France; which will put competitive pressure on job situation, with unforeseen consequences.

[William R. Cumming]

Welcome Dr. Silverman!
Hoping over course of time you might address whether the fractures between Islam, Judiasm, Christianity have grown wider since 9/11/01 worldwide and was this not at least one of the goals of the hijackers and UBL?
I don't pretend to understand completely the CHINESE foreign policy and foreign relations but does not this fracture benefit directly and indirectly the secular Chinese Communist government?

[Patrick Lang]

DaveGood

What I meant is that North Sudan as an extension of the Islamic world has always treated Kordofan and Equatoria with what has always seemed to me to have been contempt and disregard. The willingness of the North to accept secession is a pleasant surprise. the Americans who explored the South in the 19th century would have been pleased as well. pl

[CK]

At the risk of the obvious, Southern Sudan will be another landlocked country. Dependent upon the good will of either Sudan or Ethiopia or Kenya for access to the world markets. All three of which have good relations with the PRC. Their Christian neighbour Uganda is currently enjoying an American supported "Kill the Homosexuals" jubilee as well as off and on "Murder the Albino for his body parts" party.
Large nations always attempt to divide other nations into smaller "sovereign" parts; so many more minor actors to play off each other while you pick their pockets.

[Patrick Lang]

CK

That is truly ignorant. if you knew any African history you would know that the Nuer, the Dinka et al have suffered terribly under "Arab" rule. pl

[CK]

@PL:
At times my "ignorance" is almost as huge as my "liberalism". So is my ignorance the obvious landlocked geography of this new State? The economic facts re trade with the PRC and the new state's surrounding neighbours? The albino slaughter in Kenya, Uganda and the lake Victoria area? The homosexual slaughter backed by american fundies in Uganda?
I fail to see anything in my post that refers to "arab" rule or the two tribes you mentioned. It is difficult to find an african tribe that hasn't suffered terribly under someone's interference.
Possibly my observation of the desires of large nations to shrive smmaller competitors is what is ignorant? Yugoslavia comes to mind, Czechoslovakia likewise. Sudan with the south as an integral part was an islamic power bastion and a strong friend of the PRC. Now the PRC has two low hanging fruit to select from. That somehow the Khartoum govt. appears to be aggreeing to a Czech Republic, Republic of Slovakia solution is "interesting."

[J]

Colonel, All,

During these trying times, I thought that some levity was needed at this critical stage. Did you know that the (our/my) Department of Homeland Security is now in the 'sports' and 'pirated sports' business? Yup, sounds crazy doesn't it, that's because it IS craziness on DHS's part.

Feds seize sports websites before Super Bowl - Jennifer Martinez - POLITICO.com

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48692.html#ixzz1CpTXtqMw

Since when did 'Homeland Security' get into the 'sports' web seizing business? Oh, it's 'ICE' (the same ICE that used unlisted U.S. shopping mall locations as their illegals temporary jails and holding areas without toilets or sanitary facilities for their 'detainees'). See how much of a 'boondoggle' that 'Homeland Security' aka DHS has become, things that have NOTHING to do with either our 'Homeland' or 'Security'. I can understand DOJ being involved in the Superbowl/pirated sports, but ICE being involved in pirated sports? How does pirated sports fall in to the 'Immigration' part of ICE (Immigration Control Enforcement)? Have our U.S.'s Federal agencies become little more than 'corporate shills'? This one fits that bill to a tee wouldn't you agree?

ICE and Superbowl, does that make sense? ICE and pirated sports, does that make sense?

DHS has fast become nothing more than a several Billions of dollar taxpayer funded boondoggle headache that needs to be dissolved and common sense prevail. Imagine ICE/DHS, and the Superbowl, and pirated sports?

Thought you needed a good laugh, or cry, or whichever.

[William R. Cumming]

J! Once Lieberman retires from the US Senate, DHS will be broken up into various parts and sent elsewhere.

[DaveGood]

PL

Sir, I think your last posting addressed to me was probably meant for someone else.

Nevertheless, mistaken or not, it's always an honour when you reference me by name, even, perhaps, especially, when you do it anger.

It's a privilege just to be able to read this site.

[different clue]

When a guest-author's piece is published here, does the guest-author in question assume moderation duties for that piece?

[Patrick Lang]

dc

They moderate but i retain an ability to kibitz. pl