Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says end to military rule is 'top priority'

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

The Muslim Brotherhood has fired a warning shot at Egypt's ruling generals, declaring that a swift end to military rule is the country's "top priority" as it prepares to take charge of a newly elected parliament.

With provisional election results continuing to emerge, confirming earlier predictions of a strong victory for the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice party, the movement's leaders emphasised that now was the time for "consensus not collision" and agreed to work with parties across the political spectrum to advance the revolution and facilitate a smooth transition to civilian government.

In a sign the Brotherhood will not tolerate parliament being treated as a rubber stamp by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), which has clung to power despite almost two weeks of anti-junta protests and violent street clashes, senior members of the organisation told the Guardian the generals risked further unrest if they defied the people and failed to return to their barracks next year.

"Egypt is currently going through a critical era in its history, and I am confident the military will choose to cooperate with parliament and not confront it – any other path will create more chaos," said Essam al-Arian, vice president of the Freedom and Justice Party.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/01/egypt-muslim-brotherhood-military-rule

[Armin-A]

1. Jon Stewart had something about this today

pretty funny stuff

[msongs]

2. can't impose Sharia dictatorship with the military in the way nt

[Tempest]

8. Nor can you institute democratic reforms with the military in the way. n/t

[provis99]

3. and a Muslim Brotherhood dictatorship is the second priority.

[castnet55]

4. Sharia

This administration was warned long ago that this would happen. Now it's just a matter of time before we see just how hard line this new government will be

[karynnj]

7. It is still not clear that Egypt will not develop a freer government than they had under

Mubarak. The United States could not have prevented the fall of Mubarak.

At this point, we need to work with the elected government and try to influence them into protecting the rights of the minority parties and the Coptic Christians. The fact is that the west could not forever back strong dictators - and allying ourselves with the creates it own problems and is against our own values.

Not to mention, "sharia" has been demonized in a way that "halaka" or "Christian values" hasn't. Even in today's world, politicians on both sides, will speak of American law being rooted in our Judeo/Christian values - and I suspect that Judeo is added more to keep it PC by any. What needs to be seen is whether the parts of sharia they write into their laws exclude parts that are most offensive to us - just as our laws do NOT codify the more extreme commandments.

At any rate, you can't have it both ways. You can't "spread democracy" and refuse to accept that their people in their cultures will not build little USAs.

[No Elephants]

5. The Egyptian protestors deserve a true democracy. I hope to heaven that they get one. And soon.

[Javaman]

6. As I wrote in another thread...

more protests to come.

The new boss, is like the old boss.

[Tempest]

9. I'm really enjoying all the posters who already know what the MB is going to do

You should be political advisers instead of anonymous internet posters.

[David__77]

10. MB represents the center of politics in Egypt.

Some will want more secularism, some will want a much stronger imposition of Sharia. The vast majority of Egyptians reject the current foreign policy of the state.