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Special Dispatch No. 4985
Egyptian Writer 'Alaa Al-Aswany: Mursi's Rule Is No Different From Mubarak's; Keep Muslim Brotherhood From Taking Over Egypt
In the lead-up to October 12, 2012, which will mark 100 days since the election of Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi, there has been increased criticism of his policies. The Youth Revolution Coalition is planning to hold a mass demonstration on that day, at which it will call on him to dissolve the Constituent Assembly, the body charged with drafting the new Egyptian constitution; to liberate all detainees from the revolution; to prosecute all those responsible for the killing of demonstrators; not to exempt SCAF members from prosecution; and to promote social justice. It should be noted that a mass demonstration planned for August 24, 2012 against the Muslim Brotherhood's (MB's) takeover of the country failed to materialize, because a few days previously Mursi dismissed the military top brass and taken the reins of government away from the military, winning him considerable popularity.
Following Mursi's promises to institute many changes in Egypt even before completing his first 100 days in office, numerous websites have been created to track his progress in fulfilling his promises.
 The "Mursi Meter" website: "92 days [after Mursi's election], four of his 64 promises have materialized"
One example of the mounting criticism against Mursi is an article by renowned Egyptian writer 'Alaa Al-Aswany, known for his bold criticism of the Mubarak regime and, later, of the SCAF. In his article, Al-Aswany writes that Mursi's rule is no different from Mubarak's and that he has not kept his campaign promises, and notes that he has failed, inter alia, to purge the security services of Mubarak's men, to stop their policy of oppression and torture, and to release Egyptians imprisoned on false charges during the revolution or to obtain the release of Egyptians incarcerated in Saudi Arabia. In addition, he notes that many of the ministers Mursi has appointed belong to the old regime; that he continues to pursue an economic policy of helping the rich and ignoring the poor, and prefers to address Egypt's economic crisis by begging the IMF for a loan; that he uses the government media to his advantage and has citizens prosecuted for "disrespecting" him; and that he has not replaced the current MB-dominated Constituent Assembly with a new assembly representing all sectors of society. Al-Aswany states further that the MB General Guide's office has substantial influence in the governing of the country, and urges all Egyptian citizens to rally to the cause of rescuing Egypt from an MB takeover.
Special Dispatch No. 4980
Article In Saudi Daily: 11 Years After 9/11 We Must Admit That The U.S. Is A Leader In All Fields
In an article titled "September 11 – The America We Do Not Hate" in the Saudi daily Al-Sharq, columnist Muhammad Al-Dumeini claimed that, despite the hatred that Arabs have for the U.S., mostly due to its Middle East policy, they must admit that it is still the world's leading superpower and is a role model for many countries. He added that there is much to learn from its laws and achievements in education and culture, science, and technology.
Following is a translation of the article:
"Eleven years ago today, I returned home early in the afternoon... I was surprised that no one in my family had called to tell me about the magnitude [of the disaster] taking place in New York... The massive global event was being broadcast live on television, but when I joined [my family] to follow it, I discovered that the combination of reality and imagination left everyone too ashamed to admit the truth, and that people might be reluctant to discuss details before they were confirmed as true. Events [of this] magnitude bring one to despair, and a person waits [for evidence] to prove that what happened was real.
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