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Thursday, February 10, 2011

In their own words

Abdel Moneim Abou el-Fotouh, the author of "A Witness to the History of Egypt's Islamic Movement," secretary general of the Arab Medical Union and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, has written an op-ed in the Washington Post (Hat Tip: Real Clear World). I want to focus on two things he said, which should make it clear why everyone here fears the prospect of a Muslim Brotherhood takeover in Egypt.
Contrary to fear-mongering reports, the West and the Muslim Brotherhood are not enemies. It is a false dichotomy to posit, as some alarmists are suggesting, that Egypt's choices are either the status quo of the Mubarak regime or a takeover by "Islamic extremists." First, one must make a distinction between the ideological and political differences that the Brotherhood may have with the United States. For Muslims, ideological differences with others are taught not to be the root cause of violence and bloodshed because a human being's freedom to decide how to lead his or her personal life is an inviolable right found in basic Islamic tenets, as well as Western tradition. Political differences, however, can be a matter of existential threats and interests, and we have seen this play out, for example, in the way the Mubarak regime has violently responded to peaceful demonstrators.
I don't have the Koran citations at hand, but that's clearly false in light of dozens of times that the Koran and the Suras speak against Jews and Christians. Not to mention the Brotherhood's terrorist offspring like Hamas.
Our track record of responsibility and moderation is a hallmark of our political credentials, and we will build on it. For instance, it is our position that any future government we may be a part of will respect all treaty obligations made in accordance with the interests of the Egyptian people.
And clearly they will say that the Camp David treaty was not in accordance with the interests of the Egyptian people.

What could go wrong?

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