Megabytes Over Guns?
I’m still trying to figure out what I think about Eygpt.
One theme of the “revolution” has been that it is the latest example of the power of social media – Facebook, Twitter. The cellphone will set you free.
And to an extent, I think that is true.
Going forward? I’m not too sure. I’m afraid I think that Eygpt has traded one dictator for a group dictatorship, the Army. From a CBS News article: “With 468,000 members, the Egyptian military is the largest in the Arab world. It controls an estimated one-third of the Egyptian economy….” I really don’t think the guys that backed the last guy are going to turn things over to the “opposition” by way of “free and fair” elections.
I think guns, at least in the near future, will trump media. I hope I’m wrong; but, I don’t think I am.
1 comment:
The Army has controlled Egypt since the monarchy was deposed. So this is nothing new. (Mubarak was a general. So was Sadat. Nasser, I think, was only a colonel.)
Anyway, the Army has apparently enjoyed wide popular support in Egypt during the crisis, playing the neutral's role. The Egyptian Army is not an Islamist institution; it will prevent, if it possibly can, a takeover by the Muslim Brotherhood. But that will be more difficult if it really does permit free and fair elections -- and not because the Brotherhood would win a fair election either. Rather, a weak civilian government might be toppled by a determined group of extremists. Always remember Alexander Kerensky.
So even if the Egyptian Army does return to its barracks soon, you may be certain they'll be listening at the windows.
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