There Goes The Neighborhood
by
A.H. Scott
Why is it that The Muslim Brotherhood is being cast as the bogeyman in U.S. media?
The ramping up of several talking heads on television and on radio, is starting that 'hair on fire' effect. The more The Muslim Brotherhood is made into that group of dark intent for Egypt, is an argument of arrogance coming from the United States.
By attempting to infantilize the rest of the world, will not make more friends for the United States. In fact, it will do just the opposite. American Presidents always speak about democracy and freedom for all citizens of the world. If this is true, then let the people of Egypt choose their own leaders.
The rant and fear of constantly tossing the name of The Muslim Brotherhood into the ether of conversation, is almost like an abused wife hoping the police don't take her husband away. Because, she'll be left alone to fend for herself.
Hosni Mubarak is the husband, who holds the hand of peace with Israel and the United States. As for his other hand, it exists inside of a steel glove (worth billions) on the throats of his own people.
The Muslim Brotherhood, whether people in the United States government (or a smattering of political/social commentators) like it or not, are the home team in this situation. They have the organization formed from the sand up. They don't need to be helicoptered in from outside of the country. Or, need to have handlers to be granted some kind of blessing by an external government from across an ocean.
They are the neighbors. And, Egypt is their neighborhood.
So, to all the fainting Cassandras, who bitch and whine about The Muslim Brotherhood, I say to all of you - There Goes The Neighborhood.
There goes democracy, being flexed by all citizens of the world. The United States cannot tell Egypt with whom or how to proceed with their own future.
Destiny of the long history of this North Africa country (which has existed way before America was a zygote of an idea), is in the hands of the Egyptians.
The Obama Administration mustn't be meek or two-faced in dealing with this situation. They must stand on the right side of history. If not, they will be marked with the stain of collusion.
And, for this reason, I don't write with a light flare. It's written with a heavy heart. The United States has been handcuffed willingly to despots, dictators, and tyrannical leaders over many years.
This could be a moment when the United States government could actually make a change in a more positive direction. Egypt cannot be given a free pass on human rights, just because a certain lobby on K (or any other) Street wants to have it that way.
Oh, and I don't mean the Israeli lobby. I mean another entity in the pipeline of power. It is the oil/gas/petroleum lobby, who are all in a snit over keeping the Suez Canal as open as a rose in Spring.
Chaos is letting the Regent of Rendition (Omar Suleiman) take over the reins from Mubarak. For the United States government, what may look like chaos in Tahrir Square with the anti-government protests is really the engine of democracy gearing up. The Obama Administration should stop trying to step on the brakes. September is a long way from February.
Fuel in this car of progress in Egypt is information amongst the people. And, not just the social media (Twitter & Facebook), pumping into the gas tank. It's the word on the street between the young and the old. A few more drops of information came from the large Wikileaks document exposure. One dump of those diplomatic cables, included those about rendition to Egypt (which Omar Suleiman was heading), on behalf of the United States.
As time goes on, The Muslim Brotherhood will no longer be so derided. And, the United States' hand in Egypt (which includes canisters of tear gas that are marked with the Made In The U.S.A. label on them), will cause the locals, who were born, bred, and live there, start to howl:
"THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD!!!!"
