According to him, the largest opposition in Egypt is secular and leftist. They largely boycotted the election because there was no one for them to vote for and for lack of organization.
Although they went out on the streets, reportedly they support the military vs Muslim Brotherhood.
He also reported that the Muslim Brotherhood is relatively small == 100,000 or so, but they do have a wider circle of supporters.
I don't know how true this is, but I certainly think that the mainstream media's representation of their being only two sides to the struggle: MB vs military is seriously wrong.
Joanna
----- Original Message -----
On 2013-08-22, at 7:54 AM, c b wrote:
> , Bill Bartlett wrote:
>>
>> Good God, are you still backing the bloody military dictatorship in Egypt?
>> The blood in the streets doesn't cut any ice with you?
>>
>> To tell the truth I can't for the life of me work out why Charles is such
>> a big supporter of the murderous coup leaders. Can anyone enlighten me?
>>
> ^^^^^^^
> CB: No I'm starting to think you're incorrigible. Good grief haven't you
> figured out that you are supposed to support the demands of 33 MILLION
> PEOPLE ! What is the matter with you ? You really don't know what
> democracy is do you ?
The number is very likely inflated, though the demonstrations were huge and clearly represented the popular will. The demand for the recall of the Morsi government and new elections was an expression of popular democracy.
However, none of the slogans called for a military coup or the bloody suppression of the MB's supporters, and I'd be surprised if the majority who rose up last month foresaw or intended this outcome. Many have to be confused and demoralized by the turn of events.
In any case, even granting your assertion that 33 million Egyptians do support the military crackdown, that doesn't make it right or an example of democracy at work or move the Egyptian masses closer to exercising real power. In fact, the display of force will serve as a warning to the secular left as well as the Islamists of what fate awaits them if they should try to curb the power and privileges of the military high command.
You could have made a similar argument about the mass support exhibited for the Nazis in the 1933 general election and beyond, until the tide turned in WWII. Would we have been expected to "support the demands" of what was then an apparent strong majority of the German people?
To the degree there is false consciousness within the Egyptian democratic movement, we shouldn't embrace it. The liberal leader, El-Baradei, at least had sufficient principle to resign in protest from the interim government fronting for the generals. ___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk