It looks to me like the Western analysts have been, since the revolution, been downplaying the attraction of the Egyptian masses to Muslim fanaticism. Why?
This is going to end with Egypt being crushed after attacking Israel. Meanwhile, starvation is coming as the foreign reserves run out. If Shafiq wins there will be an Algerian-style bloodletting; if Mursi wins the war with Israel will come sooner rather than later. Why will no mainstream Western commentators face this reality?
I don't understand the leftist protestors' strategy--if they persuade the Army to step aside, the Army is not going to turn power over to them, but rather to the Muslim Brotherhood. Shouldn't the left be focused on the elections? If anything they are only providing an excuse for a coup.
Perhaps the issue of the failed prediction is worth addressing at some length--it has become something of a meme on the right-wing blogs that the failure to predict the Muslim Brotherhood/Salafist electoral victory is evidence of bad faith (at least) by Middle-East analysts. . . .
Thanks for the response, Prof. Cole.
I have just been shocked at how the right-wing commentators who have been against the Arab Spring seem to have been correct about the likely outcome in Egypt. Perhaps even a stopped clock being correct twice a day is the reason, but it has been upsetting me.
I like your blog and will continue reading it!
Prof. Cole,
Are you going to address your late-July predictions about the weak support for the Muslim Brotherhood and the negligible support for the Salafists? Were you genuinely wrong or shilling for some reason? I haven't seen a prediction so wrong for ages--yet, here you go making predictions about something outside of your purported expertise (global warming).
Some accountability is necessary.
Deepa
What is the MB's economic plan? The whole thing looks doomed, although I wish the Egyptian people well.
I think the Libyan people have a great chance here to create a successful country and rebuke the anti-Arab stereotypes. I wish them the best.
I don't think the Czech is so crazy about Breivik--I thought the same thing myself--his killing spree was scarily well-thought out.
It looks to me like the Western analysts have been, since the revolution, been downplaying the attraction of the Egyptian masses to Muslim fanaticism. Why?
This is going to end with Egypt being crushed after attacking Israel. Meanwhile, starvation is coming as the foreign reserves run out. If Shafiq wins there will be an Algerian-style bloodletting; if Mursi wins the war with Israel will come sooner rather than later. Why will no mainstream Western commentators face this reality?
I don't understand the leftist protestors' strategy--if they persuade the Army to step aside, the Army is not going to turn power over to them, but rather to the Muslim Brotherhood. Shouldn't the left be focused on the elections? If anything they are only providing an excuse for a coup.
Perhaps the issue of the failed prediction is worth addressing at some length--it has become something of a meme on the right-wing blogs that the failure to predict the Muslim Brotherhood/Salafist electoral victory is evidence of bad faith (at least) by Middle-East analysts. . . .
Thanks for the response, Prof. Cole.
I have just been shocked at how the right-wing commentators who have been against the Arab Spring seem to have been correct about the likely outcome in Egypt. Perhaps even a stopped clock being correct twice a day is the reason, but it has been upsetting me.
I like your blog and will continue reading it!
Prof. Cole,
Are you going to address your late-July predictions about the weak support for the Muslim Brotherhood and the negligible support for the Salafists? Were you genuinely wrong or shilling for some reason? I haven't seen a prediction so wrong for ages--yet, here you go making predictions about something outside of your purported expertise (global warming).
Some accountability is necessary.
Deepa