Suddenly, Washington is consumed with a question too long ignored: Can we safely do business with the Muslim Brotherhood? The reason this question has taken on such urgency is, of course, because the Muslim Brotherhood (or MB, also known by its Arabic name, the Ikhwan) is poised to emerge as the big winner from the chaos now sweeping North Africa and increasingly likely to bring down the government of the aging Egyptian dictator, Hosni Mubarak. In the wake of growing turmoil in Egypt, a retinue of pundits, professors and former government officials has publicly insisted that we have nothing to fear from the Ikhwan since it has eschewed violence and embraced democracy. For example, Bruce Reidel, a controversial former CIA analyst and advisor to President Obama, posted an article entitled “Don’t Fear Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood” at the Daily Beast. In it, he declared: “The Egyptian Brotherhood renounced violence years ago, but its relative moderation has made it the target of extreme vilification by more radical Islamists. Al Qaeda’s leaders, Osama bin Laden and Ayman Zawahiri, started their political lives affiliated with the Brotherhood but both have denounced it for decades as too soft and a cat’s paw of Mubarak and America.” Then, there was President George W. Bush’s former press spokeswoman, Dana Perino, who went so far on January 28th as to tell Fox News “…And don’t be afraid of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. This has nothing to do with religion.” One reason we might be misperceiving the MB as no threat is because a prime source of information about such matters is the Muslim Brotherhood itself. As the Center for Security Policy’s new, best-selling Team B II report entitled, Shariah: The Threat to America found: “It is now public knowledge that nearly every major Muslim organization in the United States is actually controlled by the MB or a derivative organization. Consequently, most of the Muslim-American groups of any prominence in America are now known to be, as a matter of fact, hostile to the United States and its Constitution.” In fact, for much of the past two decades, a number of these groups and their backers (including, notably, Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal) have cultivated extensive ties with U.S. government officials and agencies under successive administrations of both parties, academic centers, financial institutions, religious communities, partisan organizations and the media. As a result, such American entities have been subjected to intense, disciplined and sustained influence operations for decades. Unfortunately, the relationships thus developed and the misperceptions thus fostered are today bearing poisonous fruit with respect to shaping U.S. policy towards the unfolding Egyptian drama. A notable example is the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). A federal judge in the 2008 Holy Land Foundation trial – which successfully prosecuted the nation’s largest terrorism financing conspiracy – found that CAIR was indeed a front for the Ikhwan’s Palestinian affiliate, Hamas. Nonetheless, Fox News earlier today interviewed the Executive Director of CAIR’s Chicago office, Ahmed Rehab, whom it characterized as a “Democracy Activist.” True to form, Rehab called for the removal of Mubarak’s regime and the institution of democratic elections in Egypt. This is hardly surprising since, under present circumstances, such balloting would likely have the same result it did in Gaza a few years back: the triumph of the Muslim Brotherhood and the institution of brutally repressive theocratic rule, in accordance with the totalitarian Islamic politico-military-legal program known as shariah. An important antidote to the seductive notions being advanced with respect to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt – and, for that matter, in Western nations like ours – by the Ikhwan’s own operatives, their useful idiots and apologists is the Team B II report. It should be considered required reading by anyone who hopes to understand, let alone to comment usefully upon, the MB’s real character and agenda. For example, Shariah: The Threat to America provides several key insights that must be borne in mind in the current circumstances especially: Of particular concern must be the purpose of the Brotherhood in the United States and other nations of the Free World: In short, the Muslim Brotherhood – whether it is operating in Egypt, elsewhere in the world or here – is our enemy. Vital U.S. interests will be at risk if it succeeds in supplanting the present regime in Cairo, taking control in the process not only of the Arab world’s most populous nation but its vast, American-supplied arsenal. It is no less reckless to allow the Brotherhood’s operatives to enjoy continued access to and influence over our perceptions of their true purposes, and the policies adopted pursuant thereto. Mohammed ElBaradei, the hero of the Egyptian protest movement, is nothing more than a stooge for Iran,according to Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice-president of the Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations. Iran has praised the anti-Mubarak movement, but is not known to be behind it. However, the Islamic Republic has sent terrorists to stage attacks in Egypt at least three times in recent years. "A myth is being created that ElBaradei is a human rights activist – he is a stooge of Iran," Hoenlein said in an interview with Yeshiva World News. “When was the head of the [nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency] IAEA, for which he got a Nobel Prize, he distorted reports…and covered for Iran. After he left, his successors said earlier reports were not accurate.” ElBaradei maintained that Iran’s nuclear development is for civilian purposes, and he fought against Western-backed sanctions against the Iranian Republic. His criticism of Iran was limited to its lack of cooperating with the UN agency while insisting that diplomatic engagement with Iran was the best way to promote a willingness to allow inspections of nuclear sites. He has not lived in Egypt for years, but retuned last year after serving three term as head of the IAEA. ElBaradei has encouraged the protest movement, which has established him as its hero. The radical Muslim Brotherhood movement, officially outlawed in Egypt, has stepped in to back ElBaradei to replace Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Hoenlein said the Muslim Brotherhood is “not in front of the protests [in Egypt] but is behind the scenes. They take advantage of the situation, as they always do when there is instability.” The American Jewish leader, whose group represents 51 Jewish organizations, also took aim at U.S. President Barack Obama, saying that his reaction to the protests and violence in Egypt shows he “does not know what position to take. This is something we knew was coming, and we should have been working on it.”
Israel agrees to some Egyptian troops in Sinai
As anti-Mubarak protests rage on, Israel allows two Egyptian battalions - about 800 soldiers - into Sharm el-Sheikh area for first time since 1979 peace treaty. Officials: Move aimed at preventing arms smuggling to Gaza
Associated Press Published: 01.31.11 http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4021890,00.html
Israeli officials said Monday that they have agreed to let Egypt move several hundred troops into the Sinai Peninsula for the first time since the countries reached peace three decades ago.
With street protests threatening the Egyptian regime, the officials say that Israel allowed the Egyptian army to move two battalions - about 800 soldiers - into Sinai on Sunday. The officials said the troops were based in the Sharm el-Sheikh area on Sinai's southern tip, far from Israel.
Under the 1979 peace treaty, Israel returned the captured Sinai to Egypt. In return, Egypt agreed to leave the area, which borders southern Israel, demilitarized. The arid peninsula lies between Egypt's mainland and Israel, and Israel was worried about an Egyptian invasion then.
Now, as the unrest in Egypt has spread, Israeli officials have grown increasingly concerned about the stability of their southern neighbor. They are especially worried that Palestinian militants could take advantage of the unrest to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip through tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border.
According to the Shin Bet, hundreds of rockets, some 1,000 mortar shells, dozens of anti-tank missiles and tons of explosives were smuggled from Sinai to Gaza in 2010.
The Israeli officials spoke Monday about the troop movements on condition of anonymity because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has banned the government from discussing the situation in Egypt.
There was no confirmation from Egypt, and David Satterfield, the director general of an independent 12-nation monitoring force in Sinai, refused to comment.
Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel is "anxiously following" the developments in Egypt - reflecting Israel's concern that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's days in power could be limited. Mubarak has been a key ally for Israel, strictly honoring the peace treaty during his 30 years in power and frequently acting as a bridge between Israel and the Palestinians to the broader Arab world.
'One key issue'
Israeli President Shimon Peres said "we always have had and still have a great respect" for Mubarak. "I don't say everything that he did was right, but he did one thing for which all of us are thankful to him: He kept the peace in the Middle East," Peres said Monday.
In an interview, international Mideast envoy Tony Blair said Monday that a change in Egypt's leadership appears inevitable. "Change will happen. You can't put the genie back in the bottle now," he said.
The former British prime minister did not say explicitly whether Mubarak should step down. He said it's important that Egypt holds proper elections and that any transition be peaceful.
"People want to get to a position where the Egyptian people are able to express their will in free and fair elections," he said. "But I think the watchword is change with care, because at the same time we have to make sure any change occurs with stability and order."
In particular, he said he was concerned that unrest in Egypt could disrupt the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Blair represents the international "Quartet" of Mideast peacemakers - the US, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - which is set to gather next week to discuss stalled peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians.
He acknowledged the unrest in Egypt has put Western powers, especially the US, in the difficult position of choosing between a longtime ally and a grass roots protest movement demanding more freedom.
"I think when people criticize America over this, they're being a bit unfair," Blair said, adding that President Barack Obama has handled the crisis in "the only way he can."
Monday, 31 January 2011
Caroline Glick Interview on the Michael Graham show
January 31, 2011
This afternoon I was interviewed in the Michael Graham show in Boston about the tumult in Egypt and the US response to events there.
After you've listened to my comments, I suggest you watch the clip below from CNN's reporter Nick Robertson in Cairo.
The Muslim Brotherhood is the Enemy
Interview with Frank Gaffney on Fox and Friends
The Muslim Brotherhood is the Enemy
ElBaradei a ‘Stooge for Iran,’ says US Jewish Leader Hoenlein
January 31, 2011
From Arlene Kushner:
At first, with Israeli consent, the Egyptian army placed troops on its Sinai border with Gaza, to prevent Hamas terrorists from infiltrating.
Consent from Israel is necessary because according to our peace treaty with Egypt the Sinai, a buffer zone, is to remain demilitarized.
Now news has broken of something more significant. Israel reportedly gave permission yesterday for Egypt to station two battalions - about 800 soldiers - in the Sinai. This is the first time Egyptian troops will have been stationed in the Sinai since the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty 32 years ago. They are to be based in the Sharm el-Sheikh area on Sinai's southern tip, far from Israel.
This is being done to enhance Egyptian government stability, and, I am assuming, to increase its army's ability to respond quickly against Hamas militants in the Sinai.
This is not about to be confirmed on the record. Israeli officials who spoke to YNet about this did so anonymously because of the Netanyahu ban on discussing the situation.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4021890,00.html (see full article below)
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There was a time when Egypt having troops in the Sinai would have been a source of great turmoil, as it would have been seen as a threat here in Israel. As it is now, the Israel government is demonstrating a readiness to support the Egyptian regime -- the only nation prepared to do so.
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For the record, not everyone was pleased with this. MK Uri Ariel (National Union) protested that:
"This government does not have the right to enable Egypt to break even a comma of the peace accords. It's a terrifying precedent for the future.
"Anyone who knows the Middle East knows that forces which improved their positions against Israel won't withdraw easily and it doesn't matter if they're commanded by Mubarak or his successor."
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Meanwhile, President Shimon Peres said today (not specifically in response to Ariel's comments) that:
"We always have had and still have a great respect [for Mubarak]. I don't say everything that he did was right, but he did one thing for which all of us are thankful to him: He kept the peace in the Middle East."
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