US congressman Steve Chabot:“I think we ought to be very clear that the Muslim Brotherhood should not be part of a future government in Egypt,”
The Tundra Tabloids will be the first to agree that the Muslim Brotherhood should be locked out of any political role in the Egyptian government. The problem as the TT sees it, is that the MB has been very successful in fielding its candidates into parliament as independents all the while it’s been banned as a political movement.
It shows that they are very clever in adapting to any political situation or show of military force that they have to face. Barry Rubin touched on the issue a few days ago. It’s nothing more than the Muslim Brotherhood’s natural instinct (that we all share) for self survival, but ironically that natural instinct is allowing many the West to misinterpret it as some kind of moderation.
But I digress.
What’s going to happen if (a) the MB win an overwhelming majority in the upcoming elections, they’ll have to be allowed to form a government or (b) they are locked out of government, but have the necessary votes to block just about everything that doesn’t conform to their world view? Either way, their views are going to shape Egyptian policy whether they are in government or not.
There are no good options here, the only pressure point the US can exploit, is the major stick of US aid, something of which that has to be used in a very visible and forceful way than in times past. So yes, the US must insist that the MB be kept from power, but it also has to keep a sharp eye on domestic Egyptian policies, that they’re not being slowly subverted by the MB block in parliament. Other than that, what are the options left for the US? I would really like to know. KGS
NOTE: It’s good that the congressman is speaking out loud against the role of MB in Egyptian government, something of which the Finns would never do, but it has to be matched with utmost diligence, something of which the US has a lousy track record of doing. That’s what scares the TT most.
US must keep Muslim Brothers from Egypt gov’t’
By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDE
03/06/2011 00:53
Exclusive: House Middle East subcommittee chairman blasts Obama gov’t for not taking tougher line on Hezbollah in Lebanon, Muslim Brothers.
WASHINGTON – The new chairman of the US House’s Middle East subcommittee blasted the Obama administration on Friday for not taking a tougher line against the Muslim Brotherhood and its possible inclusion in the next Egyptian government.
“I think we ought to be very clear that the Muslim Brotherhood should not be part of a future government in Egypt,” Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), 58, told The Jerusalem Post in his first interview with an Israeli paper since becoming chairman of the US House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.
