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| Africa North | |
| Egypt's War Of Attrition | |
| 2013-08-18 | |
| [Ynet] Analysis: Chaos in Egypt is in fact well planned strategy, on part of both Moslem Brüderbund, state; Brotherhood provokes security forces, uses high losses to gain public favor. US, EU pushing both sides to rein in talk, ignoring fact that Brotherhood not interested in compromise What seems to be utter chaos in Egypt is in fact the result of planned strategies, both by the Moslem Brüderbund and by the army-backed interim government. Those currently setting the tone of the bloodshed are the Moslem Brüderbund, which is using tactics that started to crystallize as soon as security forces began forcibly removing Brotherhood members from lengthy Cairo sit-ins. The new strategy is a war of attrition on the interim government and the defense forces, with violent festivities in dozens of places across the country. The festivities in the streets often kick off as protests held by dozens or hundreds of people provoking police or attacking a cop shoppe, often with firearms. The army shoots, armed Moslem Brüderbund opponents shoot, resulting in deaths on both sides. Clashes in many places are in fact wars of attrition, which grant the Moslem Brüderbund three distinct advantages:
International sources, among them the US and Europe, are trying to pressure the Egyptian regime into compromising with the Brotherhood, according to an outline -- already devised by the US secretary of state -- which offers the Moslem Brüderbund the interim government's commitment to go to election and seek the Brotherhood's advice before any constitutional change, if the Brotherhood stops protests and strikes. What the American diplomat is ignoring -- as is European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton -- is that the Moslem Brüderbund are not willing to compromise, and believe they can still reinstate Morsi and then dialogue with the political parties and the army. They will not settle for less than reinstatement at the moment. This issue has great significance, as it stands in the way of a solution. The Moslem Brüderbund is motivated, armed and vastly supported by the people. Millions are singing praises of the General Guide Badie, who lost -- as did other leaders of the movement -- family members, which makes them further entrenched in their stance.
Interior Minister Ibrahim and Defense Minister al-Sisi, who both run the battle against the Moslem Brüderbund, have also made some bad mistakes. International pressure makes them want to conclude the violent festivities as soon as possible. They understand that every death decreases their support and increases international pressure, to which Egypt is extremely sensitive. They do not have any sophisticated or varied equipment to disperse the crowds other than teargas, which is why they fire. Not because coppers are in danger, but in order to wrap up quickly. At the root of this tactic lies the assumption that an intense and short bloodbath is better than a war of attrition with the Moslem Brüderbund. A ruthless consideration, the success of which is doubtful seeing as losses on both sides just make everyone more combative and make circumstances increasingly similar to Syria's. Fatalities lead to more fatalities and more fighting. Whoever is fighting in the streets of Egypt at the moment is not only the Moslem Brüderbund against the police and the army, but also Brotherhood opponents, who were the ones who began the process that led to Morsi's ouster, including several criminal sources who have taken advantage of the situation. Weapons have been coming in from Libya, and everyone is shooting at everyone. The number of deaths is reflective of the anarchy. We too, of course, are part of this. The Tamarod movement, which was the driving force behind Morsi's ouster, suggested to the interim government and the army that they refuse American aid and cancel the peace accords with Israel. That is propaganda, which was allegedly meant to thwart US pressure on al-Sisi, with the help of Egyptian countermeasures. The movement, much like many Egyptians, knows that the US needs the Egyptian army to allow it to transfer forces quickly through its airspace and via the Suez Canal. They also know that the peace accord is dear to Washington, and as far as they can see, the potential of its cancelation threatens Obama. For now, this is no big deal, but rather spiteful propaganda, but if the interim government fails to bring about calm in the coming week, the war of attrition will continue and Egypt will continue to deteriorate. Seeing as this is a country of 82 million people, this could blow up in the face of the entire Mideast. | |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #6 Interesting perspective. Always wanted to visit there. Thanks ! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2013-08-18 16:00 |
| #5 Iceland is doing pretty well. People there seem to have more of a sense of values, like we used to. At a visit at a good friend's home, she had the TV on to the forming of a new government. She was interested in what each individual member had to say. Very different from the disgust, contempt, and cynicism we in the US have for our Iceland does also have a strict policy on immigration, unlike Sweden and Norway, which are reaping the whirlwind of their multiculturalism. They are big into geothermal, but they do their homework before they start on a big new field. The country is not utopia, but they are not stupid enough to give away their fiscal sovereignty to the EUniks. So it was refreshing to get away from the US politics for a while.... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2013-08-18 15:15 |
| #4 Still awaiting your ReykjavÃk report AP. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2013-08-18 14:22 |
| #3 All this politics and they cannot grow enough food. They have the whole friggin Nile for water. Egypt is like the Humbolt Sink except it's money not water. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2013-08-18 11:55 |
| #2 Tamarodians, please ignore our feckless leaders. We come in peace. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2013-08-18 09:50 |
| #1 Brotherhood provokes security forces, uses high losses to gain public favor. US, EU pushing both sides to rein in talk The name is Al Sisi, not Rabin. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2013-08-18 04:51 |