Egyptian politics are nothing if not heavy-handed. The American Left's angst over the possibility that Omar Suleiman might have been president is now shown to have been misplaced.
It is now clear that "the deal" is between SCARF and Amre Moussa. AM was Mubarak's foreign minister for a long, long, time. He is a slippery character, notable for a negative attidude toward the US and Israel. When he was foreign minister Mubarak "planted" an "observer" in the building to make sure AM could not act without close supervision. His relegation to the Arab League was a convenient way to remove him from the levers of power.
SCARF knows that AM will not cause them any trouble, especially when the inevitable crisis with the Islamist political groups arrives. pl
Col: How would you distinquish his negative attitude toward US versus his negative attitude toward Israel?
Posted by: Matthew | 18 April 2012 at 10:03 AM
Matthew
In re Amre Moussa, he is a kind of vestigial Nasserist. He would not admit that, but he is. The US is seen by him as a manifestation of the colonialist and imperialist past while Israel is a violation of "Arab" "national" sovereignty. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 18 April 2012 at 01:22 PM
Sorry to bug you Col...but I'm suffering from Acronym blackout at the moment...SCARF?
Posted by: jonst | 18 April 2012 at 01:32 PM
And I gotta tell ya this, though you will disagree, implying that there is a US "Left" left, never mind that it has any influence, is heartening to this old leftie.
Friggin IKE would "Left" in this world. Now, politically correct obsessives, that is whole nother thing, as they say. I could readily imagine that group reaching for the vapors if Suleiman ran. Once, that is, it was explained to them who Suleiman was and what he was seen 'representing'. They would not know him on a 'cold call'.
Posted by: jonst | 18 April 2012 at 01:37 PM
Supreme Command of the Armed Forces?
Posted by: Tigershark | 18 April 2012 at 02:35 PM
Tigershark
Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. This is the group of generals who had been an advisory body but which Mubarak left in charge when he resigned. They have ruled since then with no real legal authority. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 18 April 2012 at 04:26 PM
That's some "R", but thank you for your suggestion.
Posted by: jonst | 19 April 2012 at 06:40 AM