The leaders of the MBs are no where to be seen now. That is the third day. I do not know what to make of it. One of them said that they do not want to be used to frighten the external world of the "revolution". In my view this b...sh... Whether there are negotiations going on with the military council to give them legal recognition as a party or they are busy studying what happened and their failure to lead the population and the youth. Gen Sulliman hinted three days before the departure of Mubarak that the MBs "better join the negotiations or else they will miss a very good opportunity for them". They did in public which created a backlash from their own bases. If the Generals offer was still on, and I believe it is, they might have decided to take "the very good opportunity".
But what will they pay in return. I am constantly thinking about that but did not reach an answer. I have to wait till one of their elders utters a word or two indicating there is something or until I find whoever can explain to me..that is if there are negotiations to start with. But I think the MBs were in their worst during the uprising as I explained previously. They proved to be unable to swim when the current goes towards a massive popular uprising chanting "freedom".
Whether or not they will get legal recognition is a silly question now..they always had a semi-legal one and every body now has a kind of legal recognition. If there is a deal it will be rather about their position towards the council..this could be an ominous development not because they will be recognized but because of the big question of why the military council negotiated and signed a deal.
FB ali is very accurate in describing the reason why people were praying. I was with them at the SQ. and I know many of them..they refuse the MBs completely. There will certainly be another occasion to put clearly more input on why the uprising was in many ways a step back to the Brothers in the long term and not the opposite.
Yusu al-Misry
Sir,
Could it simply be that the military council recognizes that by itself, it can't rule for the long term, but by sharing some power with the MB, both may be able to freeze out the protesters ? If so, perhaps also the military council thinks that with time it could then dominate. In any case, thank you for some very interesting essays.
Posted by: David | 14 February 2011 at 05:15 PM
If there is a deal it will be rather about their position towards the council. this could be an ominous development not because they will be recognized but because of the big question of why the military council negotiated and signed a deal.
One guesses that the Saudis are telling everyone who will listen - not least the Islamophobes in Washington and Tel Aviv - that THESE are fundamentalists we can work with.
After all, they (and we AND the Egyptian regime) have done so in the past, when it suited everyone's disparate needs.
So what's a few disagreements over the status of women and Copts between old partners?
Posted by: Peter Principle | 14 February 2011 at 08:18 PM