The American Spectator : Egyptian Intransigence Ominous

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Egyptian Intransigence Ominous

By Hal G.P. Colebatch on 1.31.11 @ 6:05AM

The causes for concern predate the protests.

No one knows how the present rioting in Egypt is going to turn out, though it is a safe bet that, in the endess dusty jerry-built tower-blocks ringing Cairo, the Muslim Brotherhood is watching and waiting to seize its chance.

British journalist Peter Hitchens wrote recently: "The most potent [Egyptian] opposition movement is the Muslim Brotherhood, and the most popular cause is enraged hatred of the neighbouring State of Israel." Actually, I think the most popular cause amongst ordinary Egyptians is continuing to get their U.S.-subsidized daily bread. But it's not ordinary Egyptians who tend to sway events there. If I were a tourist I'd keep well away at the moment.

As in all Muslim countries, the religious and the political can hardly be separated in Egypt. Given this, it is highly significant that, when the Pope spoke out following the latest massacre of Coptic Christians, not only did the Egyptian Government recall its Ambassador to the Vatican, but in addition top Muslim academics stated that they have suspended all dialogue with it.

This decision was announced by Ahmed el-Tayeh, president of al-Azhar University in Cairo and members of the Islamic Research Authority. The news was reported on the website Ahram Online, which is dedicated to covering news of interest to Muslims in the Middle East. A Vatican spokesman said in response that the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue was "collecting the information needed to adequately understand the situation."

The news came about a month before a scheduled annual meeting of the joint committee of the Pontifical Council for Dialogue and the Permanent committee of al-Azhar for dialogue Amongst the Monotheistic Religions, established in 1998.

Even before considering the possible outcomes of the political turmoil in Egypt, this story is important because it illustrates the enormity of the gap between Muslim and Christian ways of thinking in the 21st Century -- and Egypt is a relatively Westernized country with a modern economy of 80 million people and a history of European contact stretching back to the dawn of European history. The re-opening of the great library at Alexandria has been a conscious effort to provide the world with a showcase of its age-long scholarship and culture. Its governing regime, though unlovely enough, is a U.S. client, and as the experience of Iran indicates, is a good deal better for Western interests than some all-too-possible alternatives, all the more so because it shares borders with Israel and Gaza.

The Pope's comments were, as might be expected, couched in the most polite and diplomatic language. They could not, by any sane standard, be taken as aggressive or inflammatory. In the wake of the massacre of Copts in Cairo and elsewhere he simply asked governments in the region to adopt effective measures for the protection of religions minorities. The Pope commands no military force and has no Earthly tool but moral persuasion. There is no doubt that a good deal of thought went into the phrasing of the statement so as to neither make the lot of the Copts worse nor to give the appearance of abandoning them -- or, for that matter, of abandoning a beleaguered Christianity.

It is impossible to imagine how either a government seeking normal relations with the West or the senior Muslim academics of Egypt could argue with this. And in fact they did not argue: there is an almost refreshingly unambiguous simplicity in their reaction.

The Muslim academics in effect delivered an ultimatum to the Vatican: they would condescend to speak with its representatives only so long as no protest against the killing of Christians was made, that is, so long as the Vatican, as the world's leading Christian institution and the leading international expression of Christianity, gave up all moral ground.

Plainly, it seems that any suggestion that they might be concerned as to what the rest of the world thinks about this might as well be couched in Martian.

Further, of course, there is a possibility that any overly strong protests by the Vatican will result in further reprisals against the Copts, a whole community of hostages. There is an echo here of the issues raised by the martyrdom of Edith Stein, a Jewish-born Catholic nun and distinguished theologian. When the Nazis invaded Holland in 1940 Edith Stein was sheltering in a Carmelite convent. When the Dutch bishops made a statement condemning Nazi persecution of Jews, the Nazis in retaliation seized Edith Stein and all other Jewish converts to Christianity in Holland. She perished in an extermination camp.

The case of Edith Stein -- and it was by no means unique -- reminds one of the appalling difficulties and dilemmas the Vatican faces in attempting to protect or at least speak out for Christians at the mercy of savagely anti-Christian regimes. The strategy that Western Christianity is confronting does not seem particularly hard to understand. To speak out seems bad. To remain silent may be in the long run infinitely worse -- that way lies the spiritual and perhaps ultimately the physical death of the West.

And in the meantime, what is President Obama doing about it? With a worse-case situation of much of North Africa going up in smoke, and with British defence forces on the scrap-heap and France looking determinedly after France alone, it appears that any salvation may have to come from the US (Already the British Daily Telegraph is claiming "Egypt is not our business" -- they may soon be taught better) . Handling this one may not be easy, and it would put the cleverest, most capable, and most courageous of U.S. Presidents to the test.

About the Author

Hal G.P. Colebatch's "Immram," Counterstrike, is being published by Australian publisher Imaginites.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (39) | Leave a comment

Chalkdust| 1.31.11 @ 9:13AM

"Cleverest, most capable and most courageous of U.S. Presidents to the test".
If I were to give advise to any Christian In Egypt today, based on Barrack Obama's wisdom to solve "any" problem. My advise would simply be; hop on the first donkey, bus, camel heading in any direction fast.
Do I see the image of Jimmy Carter and the Shah of Iran reappearing?

Redstateboy| 1.31.11 @ 3:03PM

Chalkdust.. I gravitated to that sentence as well. We have a Community Organizer at the Helm. God helps us!

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.31.11 @ 9:40AM

Mr. Colebatch
I wrote this on another thread. I wanted to make sure you saw it.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.31.11 @ 8:12AM
Egypt,
Will prove intractable.

Mark that down in in your personal journal.

Muslims simply don't have the tools...the foundation...to build a successful society.

For centuries they have been like mice in the walls, nibbling at the crumbs of western technological progress.

Now, due to the intervention of Western oil-men, they can sell oil and buy the toys of war.

They are no longer timid mice in the walls. Pehaps the best known scavengers of all? Hyenas?

Hyenas in the walls, folks, that are harmless until you go to sleep...unarmed.
At that point, they become deadly.
Be awake, and keep your shootin' irons handy.

GDHamon| 1.31.11 @ 9:57AM

The article was clear and made sense, until the last paragraph. Just what sort of action, if any, does the author believe the U.S. should consider at this point? We are already mired in two ill-conceived military conflicts and don't have the will nor the macht to involve oourselves in a third. Also, we are going, have gone, broke. We can't afford most of the alternative approaches that might be considered.

loulou| 1.31.11 @ 11:33AM

The only course of action the US can pursue is to immediately suspend all aid to Egypt. In addition to the fact that we cannot afford it, these barbarians do not deserve it.

Then we can bring our men home from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Redstateboy| 1.31.11 @ 3:10PM

I find yours and GD's posts rather narrow and short-sighted. It's the Canal!! Hello? This is not a game.. 40% of the West's Oil comes through the Canal. And as for the "ill-conceived" conflicts.. ah... don't look now but Iraq is reasonably stable. It's looking more and more like ole' Dubbya will be vindicated. It was the stated goal that the MiddleEast needed free and democratically elected governments. Arabs are now looking at Iraq and thinking... Iraq's got a elected Government, a Free Press, a spirited political atmoshpere - why not us?

Penguin_trap| 1.31.11 @ 11:25PM

I think it's doubtful at best if ole' Dubbya will be vindicated. Sadr in Iraq will see to that once the last of our troops come back - and Afghanistan is still pretty much up for grabs, especially with Pakistan - you know, the nuclear armed 'wild card' to the south - in turmoil. Ask your favorite soldier how he/she feels about a 4th or 5th tour while you are at it. It wasn't Bush's wide eyed but naive 'bring democracy to the middle east' policy that is driving this. It's good old fashioned market driven economics (food riots and unemployment anyone?) and something else: technology. We do business in the Middle East and these rallies got going on the backs of Facebook and Twitter with TXT thrown in, according to my contacts. The reason why there is no apparent group to step into the vacuum is there was no 'group' behind it in the first place. It's a ground up 'we want freedom' revolution - not one driven by ideology. Think back to us in 1776 - not to Castro circa 1956.

John| 1.31.11 @ 11:32AM

Revolution is coming to the Arabs . The chains of American imperialism are loosening . Saudi will be next . I wander were the USA will get it's oil now that they can't steal it. I recommend that USA massively increase oil exploration. may god bless the Arabs and egytian people. They have shown a courage that Americans have not shown against the abuse of crony capitalism.

Maddox| 1.31.11 @ 12:07PM

You may have your turban on a bit too tight.

Steve A| 1.31.11 @ 1:18PM

That, is funny! Made me laugh.

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.31.11 @ 12:39PM

John, you are stupid.
We BUY the oil, dumbass. Without that trade, the Muslims STARVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PJ| 1.31.11 @ 1:19PM

I understand China is ready to take up the slack if we forgo Arab oil.

canuckistani| 1.31.11 @ 2:17PM

....not from Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia or Yemen....dumb ass......
Combined they make up 1% of total oil production, and less than 1% of oil for export.

The shipping lanes can be defended by force as was done in the 50's with the UN intervention. Other than that, there is zero strategic interest for the US if one or all of these countries fall or become complete islamic dust bins, zero.

The Egyptian payola was simply a payoff by Carter to get Sadat to the table and Reagan shoring up despots when the Reds and Iran were measuring the drapes after Sadat got the bullet to the brain.

It is interesting to see American folly with the rows of Abrams tanks lined up in Cairo with grafitti sprayed on them. Pretty lousy gas mileage for a shaggin' wagon, don't you think?

Penguin_trap| 1.31.11 @ 11:34PM

Wrong again. the support the US gives Egypt buys someting very important strategically: peace between Egypt and Israel. Incidentally, support for Israel is a prerequisite for holding national political office in the US, regardless of your party. Ha'aretz yesterday had a great quote: A stable Egypt is the keystone to US Middle East policy; For Israel, Egypt is the entire arch. If Egypt collapses, the whole region is a mess. And if you thought $140 dollar-per-barrel oil was bad, I suggest you hold onto your britches should this turn violent.

Max| 1.31.11 @ 12:45PM

The thing about revolutions is, their natural tendency is to usher in an even greater tyranny than was initially in place (France: King Louis XVI to Napoleon; Cuba: Batista to Castro; Russia: Tsar Nicholas II to Lenin; Iran: Shah Pahlavi to Ayatollah Khomeini; etc.).

Argue all you wish for the courage of the Arabs, but if true liberty is their objective, courage is simply not enough; they need also the wisdom to recognize what it is and the best way to secure it. And, to be frank, I find the latter quality rather lacking.

God bless the Arabs, indeed; if he doesn't, they are surely destined for much worse things.

PJ| 1.31.11 @ 1:31PM

USA gets its Arab oil legally from the cartel market like everyone else.

It annoys me to no end that we gave blood, sweat, & tears to Iraq. Yet, we haven't received 1 barrel of oil in payment as far as I know.

canuckistani| 1.31.11 @ 2:23PM

I thought we went to Iraq for WMD's, er I mean Al Qaeda, er I mean Saddam was a bad dude, er I mean.......

I don't see the locals lining up to thank the US for anything....did you expect open arms and a rose petals paving our way into their hearts?

Now you may actually get it that our expedition there was complete bunk, preciptiated by nervous zionists and Junior's spectacular sense of stupidity.

PJ| 1.31.11 @ 3:52PM

Actually I did --- from the Kurds in northern Iraq. Remember who was protecting the no fly zone for 10+ yrs while they developed some form of a democratic govn't & a decent economy. I also seem to remember that they are sitting on top of a huge gas &/or oil field & according to the msm the Kurd's love for USA has no boundaries.

"preciptiated by nervous zionists..." Why is it that when USA does something in the Middle East, it has something to do with the zionists (Is that your code word for Jews?)

loulou| 1.31.11 @ 4:26PM

Kurds are not Arabs.

loulou| 1.31.11 @ 4:27PM

"nervous zionists"--I thought people like you called them neocons.

loulou| 1.31.11 @ 1:37PM

Hey, tight turban, Arabs have never shown courage. It's not in their DNA. Sorry.

canuckistani| 1.31.11 @ 2:25PM

That is true, but provide me an example - other than Japan, where we actually finished the mission? Name one of consequence.

I can name a "sorta" - cold war.

Penguin_trap| 1.31.11 @ 11:43PM

It's easy to say from the comfort of your home office. The fact is, I can't think of anyone here in the US who would take on the Israeli - or US - armies packing nothing more than a 30 year old kalashnikov and some rocks. Say what you will, but being unwilling to fight and die is not something in short supply amongst Arabs...and remember, Egypt has a real army. Not some broken demoralized and sanction-starved group like we found in Iraq....and we're still there going on 9 years later.

Nelu| 2.1.11 @ 7:26AM

Would be better if you asked yourself where Arabs get everything else from. The oil was their way from : camels driving to toyota driving; from sword handling to kalasnikov shooting; from tents dwelling to Burj Dubay Tower, the six star hotel.If weren't for oil, the Arabs would have nothing, not at least water to drink.
Very soon the West will find another energy to replace oil, (electric engine for example)
What will the Arabs do then? I recommend that Arabia increase its reserves of Coca Cola, now, when they have money, later it could be too expensive for they to buy even a single bottle.

Too Many Tims| 1.31.11 @ 12:11PM

An old man bitterly clinging to power after decades in office ... Hosni Mubarak or half the US Senate?

David| 1.31.11 @ 12:31PM

Hmm…Maybe we could start building nuclear power plants, and tell the arabs to drink there oil.

Firm energy independence based on coal, nuclear and domestic oil. That will solve the Muslim solution.

Louis Jenkins| 1.31.11 @ 12:42PM

As much as we would not like to admit it, we must build the infra-structure of an energy independent nation. There I've said it. Now, let's get busy before it is too late. Forty years and the Dept. of Energy still sits on its backside. What is going on? Maybe R. Paul should defund those brigands, and defund them quickly. We'd be better off.

PJ| 1.31.11 @ 1:26PM

Mr Colebatch,
You wrote a very intriguing piece. Interesting connection from the Coptic Church bombings to the pope's comments & Islamic theologians reaction to it to the current violence in Egypt. I've yet to read or hear other media commentators express similar observations. Thank you.

Wicked Dickie--Virginia| 1.31.11 @ 4:35PM

Too right, GDHamon. Our capable, courageous and clever President Obama-ayers should remain silent or pull the rug out from under another ally like Idiot Jimmy Carter did with the Shah. Looks like another example of suicide by ally. Who needs enemies when you got a friend like the U.S.

Michael Tomlinson| 1.31.11 @ 7:42PM

"Handling this one may not be easy, and it would put the cleverest, most capable, and most courageous of U.S. Presidents to the test." We're screwed!

akw| 1.31.11 @ 7:59PM

Muslim views in Egypt 2010:

Favorable view of Hamas 49%
Favorable view of Hezbollah 30%
Favorable view of al-Qaeda 20%
Favorable view of bin Laden 19%

48% of Muslims say Islam plays a large role in Egypt's political life and 49% say it plays only a small role.

In Egypt majorities of Muslims who say Islam is playing a large role in politics see this as a good thing, while majorities of those who say Islam is playing only a small role say this is bad for their country.

In Egypt 85% consider Islamic influence over political life to be a positive thing for their country.

Many Muslims see a struggle between those who want to modernize their country and Islamic fundamentalists. Only in Jordan and Egypt do majorities say there is no such struggle in their countries (72% and 61%, respectively).

In Egypt 59% of Muslims who see a struggle in their countries say they identify with Islamic fundamentalists.

Muslims in Egypt say they would favor making each of the following the law in their countries:
stoning people who commit adultery, (82%)
whippings and cutting off of hands for crimes like theft and robbery (77%)
the death penalty for those who leave the Muslim religion. (84%)

54% of Muslims in Egypt support making gender segregation the law in their country.

59% of Muslims in Egypt say democracy is preferable to any other kind of government.

20% of Muslims in Egypt offer support for suicide bombing in defense of Islam. 46% of Muslims in Egypt reject suicide bombings.

In Egypt 61% are at least somewhat concerned about Islamic extremism in their country.

http://pewglobal.org/2010/12/0.....hezbollah/

Steve in Pittsburgh| 1.31.11 @ 10:28PM

Egyptian Intransigence Ominous, or E.I.O. for short.

"Old Mohammed had a harem, eieio".

Stupid, I know.

Yosemeti Sam| 1.31.11 @ 11:00PM

Um, do Egypt have secret police?

Penguin_trap| 1.31.11 @ 11:43PM

"As in all Muslim countries, the religious and the political can hardly be separated in Egypt."

I'd say that also sounds alot like Texas.

Tim B| 2.1.11 @ 5:53AM

"Actually, I think the most popular cause amongst ordinary Egyptians is continuing to get their U.S.-subsidized daily bread."

Silly, the US subsidies go to the military, as all the protestors who've been picking up tear gas canisters and bullet cases with 'Made in USA' on them in Cairo recently have found out.

As for the rest of the article, it's very confused. Citing the Mubarak government's decision to withdraw its ambassador to the Vatican due to the Coptic issue as a reason why the Mubarak government is very stable and a friend of America which we should support? Very strange.

Alfred| 2.1.11 @ 10:31AM

Not as strange as Tim B's totally confused recapitulation of the article. Niwhere does it express an opinuion on whether or not the Murbak Government should be supported. It is about Muslim views of dialogue with Christians.

FREE tea| 2.2.11 @ 1:38AM

----"The U.S. has one final task before its own
long-engineered collapse is consumated---and that's to 'bring in' (i.e. standardize, franchise-slum, collectivize) the recalcitrant
Middle East. And then RED China and warm
'eugenics realism' (THINK Rockefeller/Gates
Foundations et al) will rule."
-Alan Watt
Cutting Through the Matrix
(online)

ESSENTIAL

UNDENIABLE

TRUE

"Come out from among them.
Do not partake of their sin."
----WHO said that?