Would Mohammed Atta Have Been an Egyptian Protestor?
And if so, might he have trained his energies and neurotic obsessions towards political change in Egypt? He was, after all, an educated, unstable young man from the Egyptian middle classes looking for a cause. Traditionally, those kinds of young men set about overturning governments. Mohammed Atta, to our great regret, was born too soon. He should be alive and in Cairo right now, setting fire to a police car.
I love pictures like these, from youth protests in Yemen:
And these, from clashes between young protesters in Egypt and government riot police:
I feel sorry for the guy above getting his lights whacked out. But this is all what should be happening in Egypt, and Yemen, and Tunisia, and everywhere else in that benighted region. After decades steeping in a paranoid and childish brew of anti-Israel and anti-American catechisms, maybe -- maybe -- the Arab Street is finally turning its sights on the real enemy: the corrupt, oligarchical despots who rule them.
Stipulated, of course: regrettable loss of life, we don't know how it will all end up, etc. etc. And yet, there's something deeply satisfying -- and maybe it's an ugly satisfaction, I don't know -- about watching rioters clash with police in those countries. For the time being, at least, it's not Us vs. Them. It's Them vs. Them.
And that's an improvement.
- Comment (7)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
Comments :
May '10
Re: Would Mohammed Atta Have Been an Egyptian Protestor?
Rob Long:
But this is all what should be happening in Egypt, and Yemen, and Tunisia, and everywhere else in that benighted region. After decades steeping in a paranoid and childish brew of anti-Israel and anti-American catechisms, maybe -- maybe -- the Arab Street is finally turning its sights on the real enemy: the corrupt, oligarchical despots who rule them.
Is it too early to credit G.W. Bush for helping the scales to fall from their eyes?
Dec '10
Re: Would Mohammed Atta Have Been an Egyptian Protestor?
How will the left wing media spin this to blame America?
Dec '10
Re: Would Mohammed Atta Have Been an Egyptian Protestor?
Well, on Ricochet (other threads), we do blame America, at least in part, for our support of thugocracies. I have lived in countries that transitioned out of the old order and they always transitioned into leftist tyranies. Leftist in alignment, not in practice, as the "workers" never seemed to benefit.
I see no reason to expect Egypt, Tunisia, or Yemen, to transition towards an America-aligned democracy, no matter what we do, diplomatically. I expect them all to become Islamist, no matter what we do. The only exception that I am aware of has been Iraq, where we have garrisoned the government-in-development. Back before we were flat broke, but not yet as risible in the world view as we have recently become. And Iraq is tenuous.
I am interested and concerned, but not optimistic.
May '10
Re: Would Mohammed Atta Have Been an Egyptian Protestor?
I agree with CJ. How many revolutions have panned out? I cannot think of any off the top of my head, other than ours.
Aug '10
Re: Would Mohammed Atta Have Been an Egyptian Protestor?
True, Bryan, but look at how many nations held up the US as an example and transformed into liberal democracies. Lord knows there are many problems with this analogy, but could Iraq, with all its imperfections, be the beacon that Bush thought it would be? Tunisia was a further catalyst because it showed Arabs that they could achieve regime change without foreign intervention.
Jun '10
Re: Would Mohammed Atta Have Been an Egyptian Protestor?
Fishing for comments on the podcast? Fair enough, you asked.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." More pith, less squish.
May '10
Re: Would Mohammed Atta Have Been an Egyptian Protestor?
Iraq is not a liberal democratic system. It is still a big mess. Maybe as good as it can be right now, but when a people have no real tradition of liberty, they don't know how to live free. It takes a generation. Americans were already the most free people in the world when we threw off the yolk of British rule. Without a generation of American support, Iraq will fail.
Look, Turkey has a generation of being a western nation, and it is fast sliding towards tyranny. If we are going to lose Turkey, what hope does Egypt have?
Look at Japan. They have had three generations since WWII, and their nation still lags far behind America as a liberal system.
America is the shining city on the the hill, but somehow, pilgrims get lost. I don't know how to fix that. All I have is prayer.