You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Africa North
In lawless Libya, Sisi is considered a hero
2014-05-27
Libyan civil servant Mohamed Ali has put on his business card a picture of the only man he thinks can save his country from falling apart — Egypt's new strongman Abdel Fattah Al Sisi.

Libya is preparing for elections next month, but many Libyans have long given up on their own parties paralysed by political infighting three years after the revolution and civil war that brought down Muammar Gaddafi.

Instead, Libyans look to their eastern neighbour where former army chief Sisi is expected to easily win elections after his military forced out an elected president from office.
Egypt has united with other Arab countries before. Why not try it again?
Tired of militias filling a power vacuum left by a five weak prime ministers since 2011, many see the revival of strongman rule in Egypt as their dream scenario.
And they don't have a suitable strongman of their own...
"Sisi is an outstanding man, a nationalist, a Muslim and an Arab. He is restoring stability and fighting terrorism," said Ali. "Our politicians only think of their personal agenda. We wish we had someone like Sisi."

In cafes across the desert country and on social media, admiration for Sisi has become a major talking point — so popular has Sisi become that an unknown author has dedicated a poem to him, shared by many Facebook users.

Many Libyans compare the bumpy transition of both Arab neighbours since their "Arab Spring" revolutions in 2011. Both have seen political unrest, though Egypt avoided anarchy like its neighbour.

Enemies denounce Sisi as the author of Egypt's toughest crackdown in decades after ousting president Mohammed Mursi last year. But many Libyans say Mursi's removal was a blessing ending a chaotic year in power comparable to their unproductive government and parliament, dominated by a hardline party allied with the Muslim Brotherhood, which failed to stop armed militias carving out their own fiefdoms.

"We have the same situation in Egypt and Libya with terrorists attacking police and army," said Asma Sarbia, an independent Libyan lawmaker. "The Egyptian army's war on terrorists has made many Libyans look up to military institutions as saviour from assassinations and explosions."

Now some also draw parallels to renegade former Libyan army general, Khalifa Haftar, who has declared war on militants in Benghazi in the east with his irregular forces. Some already call him "Libya's Sisi".
Then again, he was a general under Qaddafi, so who knows what's inside his cold, dark, little heart...
But western governments worry Haftar's campaign may further split Libya's army and provoke violent backlash from other militias who back the Muslim Brotherhood in Libya. With no real army behind him, his former ties to Gaddafi, who he helped to bring to power in 1969 before turning against him in the 1980s, and his alleged CIA-connections, Haftar also looks less than credible for many Libyans.
The CIA part will get the most attention but will be the least of his issues...
"I don't think he will have success as politician," said Arish Said, a Libyan journalist. "No Libyan military man can succeed against terrorists. There is some support (for Haftar) but it won't be strong enough to bring him to power."

Libyans have long looked to Egypt for orientation. Many government officials, intellectuals and business people have graduated from universities in Cairo or lived there.

"If there hadn't been a revolution in Egypt in 2011 we would never have had a revolution here," said Umm Az Al Farsi, a political science lecturer at the University of Benghazi, the eastern city and cradle of Libya's uprising.
Posted by:Steve White

#2  As long as he doesn't turn out to be another Nasser.
Posted by: Pappy   2014-05-27 22:31  

#1  Libya + Egypt + Egypt's military missing both MUBARAK + UNCLE MOHAMMAR???

AL-SISI = "MUBARAK" LITE???

You knew they would.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2014-05-27 21:37  

00:00