What Al Beeb’s Jeremy Bowen Doesn’t Tell You About the Muslim Brotherhood

The BBC’s unfit-for-purpose Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen – he of the perpetual world-weary (or is that just Israel-weary?) tone and scowl, and a constant anti-Israel spin on things – has demonstrated a ridiculous and quite scandalous degree of ignorance in his 31 January BBC News website post regarding the Muslim Brotherhood – they’re just fluffy strokable pussycats according to him. Writes Jezza:

“The country's only properly organised mass political movement outside the ruling party is the Muslim Brotherhood, and it would do very well in any free election.

Unlike the jihadis, it does not believe it is at war with the West. It is conservative, moderate [that word "moderate" was later removed] and non-violent. But it is highly critical of Western policy in the Middle East.”

What utter nonsense. What irresponsible journalism. How stupidly gullible.

To help redress the balance, here’s an article sent to me by Coptic journalist and activist Assad Elepty, of Sydney, entitled ‘Mubarak Arm wrestle continues “War of Attrition”: Muslim Brotherhood Lurks ready to strike’:

The war of attrition is continuing in Egypt, and Mubarak is losing the battle.

Mubarak is not only defiant; he is arrogant and appears oblivious to the repeated calls, “Mubarak we do NOT want you”. He is a hard head, clutching on with the bare skin of his teeth. His palace has been barricaded with barbed wire and guarded by the Military.

Even the military have told him to step down. Unlike the Australian Government, Obama hears the voice of the people and has sent an envoy to convince Mubarak “it is in the best interests of Egypt that you abandon your political agenda and announce you will not contest the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for September 2011.

Mubarak has read between the lines, sees he has lost the support of Obama, and did make the announcement. Just as significantly it means Gamal Mubarak’s political ambitions ended along with his father, he has no chance of ever becoming president. Mubarak went too far last November when he used his security force to crush all opposition. The people have had enough. Shamefully less than 20% of the population participated in the November 2010 election.

The protestors are clearly winning; however the statement from Mubarak did not quell them in any way. If anything it has reinforced their determination. Mubarak is delaying the inevitable; he must step down, “simply because a blind man can see the protests will not end for so long as he is at the helm. The people have spoken.

Just as critical, a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt told the Arabic-language Iranian news network Al-Alam that he, “would like to see the Egyptian people prepare for war against Israel”. Muhammad Ghannem reportedly told Al- Alam that “the Suez Canal should be closed immediately, and that the flow of gas from Egypt to Israel should cease”. He added that “the people should be prepared for wars against Israel,” saying the world should understand that “the Egyptian people are prepared for anything to get rid of this regime.” He added that Washington was forced to abandon plans to help Mubarak stay in power after “seeing millions head for the streets.”

His comments are dangerous and inciteful. It clearly indicates that the Muslim Brotherhood is looking beyond Mubarak and sees their influence as a fore gone conclusion. The next phase of the revolution is the most crucial; it will set the destiny of Egypt for decades if not centuries to come drilled out.

Islamisation of Egypt, in any form would is not an option. Islam and democracy are diametrically opposed and most certainly do not go hand in hand. The Muslim brotherhood is the only organized and well funded “(by Iran & Saudi Arabia)” opposition group in Egypt. Any hasty election will see the Muslim brotherhood stroll into power. While the Muslim Brotherhood claim to be passive and non violent, they are as sly as snakes and cunning as foxes. The Brotherhood once in power would then remove the veil and deception and show their true colors with horrific consequences for Egypt, especially the minority Coptic Christians.

It has been widely reported the constitution will be re-written, any such step MUST include removal of article 2.

Any reference to Islam remains in the constitution; it will mean no change for the minority Copts and continued persecution and subservience.

I had to laugh when I read today the Muslim brotherhood have dropped their 80 year old slogan “Islam Is the Solution”, replaced it with the new slogan “participation”.

It is funny because they are outlawed and banned in Egypt, they can not legally run or “participate” for elections as the “Muslim Brotherhood”. In the past they circumvent the law by running for elections under the guise of Independents and then vote as one block in parliament. They have no regard for any law and always devise a means to bypass laws.

For those unaware, the Muslim brotherhood was started by Hassan Banna a primary school teacher in 1928. He was a lover of Hitler, and even went to Germany to meet him and organized Muslim Arabs (SS) to exterminate the Jews. (http://www.faithfreedom.org/articles/op-ed/probing-the-history-of-the-muslim-nazi-alliance/)

1948 and 1949, the Muslim brotherhood sent volunteers to fight in the war in Palestine. The feud between the monarchy Egypt and the MB reached its climax when the MB organized the assassination of Prime Minister Mahmoud an-Nukrashi Pasha. This in turn prompted the assassination of Al-Banna. On February 12, 1949 in Cairo.

The MB have a sordid, ugly and vile history, this radical sect can never be under estimated. Muslim Brotherhood Ideology

Al-Banna developed the ideology and the methods of organization and recruitment that were to characterize most radical Islamist groups which may or may not have been inspired by the Brotherhood.

(http://www.faithfreedom.org/articles/islamic-jihad-articles/muslim-brother-hood-ideology-defining-an-islamic-state/)

Muslim Brotherhood Goals and Ideology

Islam must dominate and not be dominated.

Restoration of the lost caliphate - i'adat al Khalifa al Mafqudah - is the chief immediate political goal of the Islamist movement.

Islam is currently inferior to the West because it deserted its roots. It will triumph by returning to its pristine form.

Social revolution and anti-colonial struggle are an integral and major part of the mission of the Islamic revival.

Violent Jihad is a central tenet of Islam and martyrdom in the cause of Allah is highly valued. Violent Jihad is the greater Jihad, while inner struggle for moral purity is the lesser Jihad.

Islam must aim to take over the entire world and assert its superiority through violent Jihad; Western civilization is doomed by its decadence and Jewish influence.

Ideas such as democracy and human rights are products of Jewish influence and Western decadence.

Society must be ruled by God and not men.

The best sort of government was a dictatorship based on Sha'aria Muslim law.

The Jews are particularly vile enemies of Islam. Israel is to be opposed because it is a foreign western implant.

The Muslim brotherhood’s rhetoric, that they are pro-democracy is utter rubbish. They have no intention of changing nor have they changed one goal or objective since their inception. It would be an absolute disaster for Egypt as if this radical bigoted sect played any role in a new government. The Muslim Brotherhood is the furthest thing possible from democracy you can ever imagine. Any new government must have a representation of Copts proportionate to their population. They have been voiceless and unrepresented for centuries. Islamisation of Egypt has seen a progressive genocide of the Copts, that now only account for 10-15% of the population. They are the last surviving Christian group in the Middle East, Once the Bedrock of Christianity. The global community has a duty to protect the Copts and ensure Egypt becomes a secular democratic society.

And be sure to see http://www.faithfreedom.org/articles/islamic-jihad-articles/muslim-brother-hood-ideology-defining-an-islamic-state/

Also, see an absolute corker of an article in today's "Daily Telegraph" by David Horovitz, re the danger Israel now faces and how Israel compares so favorably with its Middle Eastern neighbours:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/8296776/Egypt-crisis-Israel-faces-danger-in-every-direction.html

What the Egyptian Protests May Portend

Professor Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. Below is his “An Interview on the Egyptian Revolt: I'm Worried That Others Aren't Worried”:

1) How do you judge the Egyptian protests?
It is tempting to see this as a revolution that will bring down the regime. But Egypt is not Tunisia. And while the demonstrations are passionate it is not clear that the numbers of participants are huge. If the elite and the army hold together they could well prevail, perhaps by removing Mubarak to save the regime. We should be cautious in drawing conclusions.

2) Do you see the threat of an Islamist takeover by the Ikhwan?
So far the uprising has not been led by the Muslim Brotherhood. But it is the only large organized opposition group. It is hard to see how it would not be the leading force after a while. The leadership would have to decide that it is facing a revolutionary situation and that this is the moment for an all-out effort. But if it does so and fails there will be a terrible repression and the group will be crushed. It appears that the Brotherhood is joining the protests but has not made its basic decision yet. In the longer term if the regime is completely overthrown I do believe the Brotherhood will emerge as the leader and perhaps the ruler of the country.

3) Do you see any chances that Egypt will witness the same model of Iran of 1979, the democratic protests followed by an Islamist rule?
Absolutely yes. On one hand, so far they lack a charismatic leader. On the other hand, alternative non-Islamist leadership is probably weaker than it was in Iran. Remember also that the Iranian revolution went on for almost a year, with the Islamists emerging as leaders only after five or six months. Many experts predicted that moderate democrats would emerge as rulers and said an Islamist regime was impossible but that isn't what happened. I very much hope I am wrong.

4) How the Arab status quo can be reformed and changed without letting the Jihadist fanatics take power? Is it possible to have democracy and liberalism?
One would need strong leaders, strong organizations, an ability to repress opposition, a clear program, and unity, among other things. None of this is present on the moderate democratic side. Again, I wish it was otherwise. More than any other country, reformers –  though not all of them –  have believed they can work with and then manipulate the Islamists. That seems like a mistake.

The chances for democracy and liberalism are different in every country. Tunisia has a good chance because there is a strong middle class and a weak Islamist movement. But in Egypt look at the numbers in the latest Pew poll. http://pewglobal.org/2010/12/02/muslims-around-the-world-divided-on-hamas-and-hezbollah/
In Egypt, 30 percent like Hizballah (66 percent don’t); 49 percent are favorable toward Hamas (48 percent are negative); and 20 percent smile (72 percent frown) at al-Qaida. Roughly speaking, one-fifth of Egyptians applaud the most extreme Islamist terrorist group, while around one-third back revolutionary Islamists abroad. This doesn’t tell us what proportion of Egyptians want an Islamist government at home, but it is an indicator.

In Egypt, 82 percent want stoning for those who commit adultery; 77 percent would like to see whippings and hands cut off for robbery; and 84 percent favor the death penalty for any Muslim who changes his religion.

Asked if they supported “modernizers” or “Islamists” only 27 percent said modernizers while 59 percent said Islamists.

Is this meaningless? Last December 20 I wrote that these “horrifying figures in Egypt…one day might be cited to explain an Islamist revolution there….What this analysis also shows is that a future Islamist revolution in Egypt and Jordan is quite possible.

5) What kind of threat does the Muslim Brotherhood network pose to Israel and the Western democracies?
In power? A huge threat: renewed warfare, overwhelming anti-Americanism, efforts to spread revolution to other moderate states, a potential alignment with Iran and Syria (though that might not happen), incredible damage to Western interests. In short, a real disaster. What shocks me is that Western media and experts seem so carried away by this movement they are only considering a best-case outcome. As I suggested, I would prefer things were otherwise but I am deeply worried and one of the things I'm worried about is that others don't seem to be worried.

The website of the GLORIA Center is at http://www.gloria-center.org/and of Barry Rubin's blog, Rubin Reports, http://www.rubinreports.blogspot.com/

Pollard on Palileaks and Sacerdoti on Israel, the PA, and Current Middle East Developments

Full marks to Jewish Chronicle editor Stephen Pollard for his robust denunciation, in the 27 January issue of his paper, of the despicable way in which the Guardian spun the leaked memos by PA negotiators with Israel that comprise the so-called “Palestine Papers”.

‘The Guardian's behaviour this week, even by its own often disreputable standards over Israel, has been simply shocking,’ Mr Pollard writes, inter alia.

‘Not presented them so much as lobbed them, doused with petrol, into a tinderbox – and hoped for a result....

What is very wrong is the way the paper chose to present its story: the distortions, the bias, the agenda, the spin and the breathtaking arrogance of its handing down instructions to the Palestinians of how they should behave. Make no mistake: the Guardian's presentation was, as David Landau puts it, "intended to poison the Palestinians against their leaders". And to poison the world against Israel....The Guardian crossed a line this week. It has not practised journalism but rather hardcore political activism, playing with people's lives.’

See the entire editorial here: http://www.thejc.com/blogpost/guardians-shame

And here’s Jonathan Sacerdoti, executive director of the UK Zionist Federation, in a discussion with Guardian journalist Polly Toynbee, London-based Palestinian editor Abdel Bari Atwan, and others on BBC News 24's "Dateline London" programme today. 

(Hat tip: Jonathan Hoffman)