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comment analysis today tuesday12
When Mr Mohammed Morsi,the political face of EgyptsMuslim
Brotherhood, sent
his top aides to London recently, theseasoned Arabists of the
Foreign Of-ce were pleasantly surprised.
Rather than embarking on along rant against the decadenceof the
West which is what nor-mally happens with visitors of anIslamist
persuasion the quietly
spoken group of Egyptian leadersgave a concise and rational
appraisalof the many challenges their countryfaces as it makes the
dicult transi-tion from military dictatorship to a
more democratic system of govern-ment.
While insisting that Egypts future
egypts new IslamIc democracy
would be immeasurably better servedby an Isla mic government tha
n by a
secular or military one, they nonethe-less conceded that not
even politicalIslam could provide all the answersfor a country that
has struggled fordecades to full its potential.
Consequently, if Eg ypt were to de-velop its moribund political
and eco-nomic institutions properly, it wouldrequire much more than
the MuslimBrotherhoods limited resources.
To reclaim the countrys formerglory as one of the pre-eminent
pow-ers in the Arab world, Mr Morsi andhis followers would need all
the helpthey could get.
EARLY-DAY UNCERTAINTIES
If the events of the past week are a n-
ything to go by, Egypts newly-elect-ed President has been as
good as hisword as he begins the daunting taskof forming a new
government in thewake of his historic election victory.
It is, of course, early days in thisbrave new democratic
world.
For a start, it is still unclear justhow much power the Egyptian
mi li-tary, which dissolved the countrysParliament on the eve of
the electionsand stripped the presidency of manyof its powers,
intends to retain i n thewake of the Islamists surprise v
ictory.
And signicant questions remainabout how committed some of
themore hard-line activists within theMuslim Brotherhood such as
those
who have recently taken to burningdown Coptic churches are
aboutupholding the principles of the newly-adopted system of
Western-style gov-ernance.
That said, Mr Morsi should bejudged by his own deeds, rather
thanthe repressive actions of others. Andon that basis, he deserves
credit forthe measured and balanced approachhe has so far adopted
in forming thenew Egyptian government.The 60-year-old is no
stranger to thewickedness of the previous regime,having been jailed
by former Presi-dent Hosni Mubarak for membershipof the Muslim
Brotherhood, which wasthen a banned organisation.
But rather than seeking revenge
on his former persecutors, he seemsmore interested in taking a
leaf out ofMr Nelson Mandelas book and build-ing a rainbow
coalition that representsthe interests of all Egyptians, ratherthan
just those who voted for him.
Echoing the sentiments of the sup-porters who visited the
Foreign Oceearlier this year, Mr Morsi has con-founded his critics
by inviting liber-als, former Tahrir Square activists,Christians
and women to join his newIslamist-led government.
As an aide to Egy pts rst demo-
cratically-elected Presideshortly after his victory:
litical party can x a ll thproblems. Among thosevy ing for
favour i n the nment is Nobel laureate DEl-Baradei, the former
heternational Atomic Energwho took a leading role inwith Iran over
its controvar programme.
The United StatesMr Morsi, sworn in as Pthe weekend, has also
saito appoint a woman andto senior positions connormally made by
Islamis
IMPACT ON THE REGIO
There will still be many
particularly those who cfor secular, Western-styleduring last
years Tahrirtests, who feel they havechanged.
The new President maall the right noises aboutthe status of
women in tolerating alcohol consuthere will be many of his foare
not so open-minded anmore fundamentalist app
Yet, it is certainly to bMr Morsis more relaxed sive style
prevails, not lof the positive impact thing democracy would havof
the region.
The Arab world has a lodition of looking to Cairoship, whether
it be the annationalism of Gamal Aor the more conciliatorof Anwar
Sadat, who shwas possible for an Arab speace with Israel.
Given the current wavunrest sweeping the regicratic Egypt would,
for ex
vide a vi able model for tfactions in neighbouring hold, as well
as encourautocratic regimes in the
brace a more representagovernment.
The success of Mr Mowould be most profoundl
ia, where concerns aboutnature of the opposition Bashar Al Assad
has undWests campaign for regi
If Mr Morsi can demEgypt that it is possible toIslam and
pro-West, thenreason why the same form
be applied in Damascus.THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
C C
Morsi could show theway for the Arab world
Con Coughlin is an expert ointernational terrorism and thewith
25 years in foreign journa
An Egyptian holding up a poster of Mr Morsi which reads:Mohammed
Morsi: President of Egypt. Peoples will. PT AP
