It doesn't get more reactionary than this! 'The people aren't ready for democracy' is a time-worn claim made by autocrats and dictators everywhere - and by their objective apologists. Whether or not the new miltiary regime in Egypt is a servant of democratic aspirations or not will be tested by time. The key question is whether free and fair multi-party competitive elections will be held in September or at some reasonable time thereafter. It would seem at this stage that the military represent a transition to that democracy. It was fairly clear by late January that Mubarak was gone and a transition would be needed, and that the military would provide it.

The author disparages the people around the world who have struggled and acheived democracy, to one degree or another. Demcoracy by its nature is never perfect - but it's far superior to autocracy and fascistic rule. Just ask the Iraqis whether they want Saddam back.

First Saddam, then Ben Ali, then Mubarak...

If the Egyptian revolution fails to achieve free and fair elections, then it's back to the streets for the people. I doubt that this will be necessary but, either way, history will continue to pass Sam Vaknin by.

democracy is where 51 percent
lord it over 49 percent

its still the same 15 percent running things
they only need to bluff the other 34%...one group at a time

thus they go visit clubs..buy votes
build stadia...sponcer local sports clubs to man the booths
unless they get diebold voting machines that do the numbers for them

its not the elected who run things
its the public servants ..and those who own the two parties [and the media]..if you got no fere speach..ie no voice..you vote still dont count

look at palistein
they voted for who was serving them
but then ...well we all know what happend there
or iraq..or belgem..its time to go the way of finland

jail those doing the ripoffs
elect an elect who see their duty to serve all
not just the party machinations..that result in faux demonic autocracies

demon
de-moc-race
de moc crazy

make autocrats chose
betwen money OR power
we had enough of both

lets write.. a constitution
where govt serves the people..not the elites
serves the basics ..*to all...not just the corperate power brokers
or multinationals and multi pasport holders

tax every penny ,..that leaves the cuntry ..at 50 percent

tax every transaction*
..to subsidise the basics ..for the poor

free education
..free assosiation

free-will
free health

good food
good air
good water

that we do ..to the least ..we do to god

Ummmm.... 4 pages of reading..(part of my valuable LIFE) ..and not a hint of a 'solution'.

Ok.. some takes.

GLENN BECK (Fox News) "This is the beginning of the insurrection, the Muslim brotherhood and the Socialist/communists working together to establish a Calipate/Marxist-Socialist outcome. This will spread to other Western linked Arab countries. Strategic issues re the passage of oil etc.. Straits Hormuz, Suez.

ME. While Beck is 'close'... I think he missed out on one important factor. "Egyptian Military"
As we now see, the only viable force in Egypt in the immediate is..the Army to hold things together while the dumb civvies sort themselves out. I agree with Beck to the extent that his basic facts are true, he just did not give sufficient weight to the Armed forces keeping a lid on it and also keeping the real power.(and benefit)

INTERIM. Once the Army stabilizes the situation and Mubarak is gone... the other parties will be very energetically active in trying to gain a better position of access to power.

BARRIERS. Will of course be the Generals, who undoubtedly benefit greatly from being who they are and their connection with the 'throne'.

Will they allow a bunch of Commies and Islamofascists to threaten that ?

I think the best we can realistically predict is that the military will either

a) Retain control indefintitely.

b) Allow some representative groups to 'look' like they have power through democractic elections, but still retain the benefits and trappings of ultimate power.

Are you sure about that, Boaz?

>>GLENN BECK (Fox News) "This is the beginning of the insurrection, the Muslim brotherhood and the Socialist/communists working together to establish a Calipate/Marxist-Socialist outcome. This will spread to other Western linked Arab countries.<<

I think you may find that came straight from the famous GlennBeck Conspiracy Generator.

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bl-glenn-beck-conspiracy.htm

Here's one from the same source:

"It's time we ask ourselves why Hollywood liberals want to create a One World Government that will dismantle our military and enable Islamic terrorists to colonize America without resistance."

and another...

"Liberal neo-monarchists pose a clear and present danger to the republic because they have a secret plan to turn us all into communist slaves, which, as you know, is what Mao was trying to do when he bombed Pearl Harbor."

...but this is my favourite:

"Hollywood elites and their arugula-eating disciples are operating a secret shadow government whose real agenda is to molest your kitten. And you know who else tried to do that? Hitler."

Give it a spin. It's fun, and instructive!

Mr El Baradei doesn't appear to be representing but very small segment of the Egyptian society. Not sure why many channels are interviewing and quoting him?

Fellow_Human wrote:

>>Mr El Baradei doesn't appear to be representing but very small segment of the Egyptian society. Not sure why many channels are interviewing and quoting him?>>

I think it’s because the news channels that quote him want to believe that whatever regime emerges in Egypt will be made up of people like El Baradei.

And I want to believe I’ll win the lottery.

F.H. welcome back... how about giving us your "insider-extreme" take on the situation? You are probably the best qualified among us to do that.

Do you think Steven is right? (I do) Will the military allow a democratically elected regime which is not of "it's" preferred flavor?

Pericles.. not sure what you have for brekky..but I'd discontinue it.. having a bad effect on your thinking.

I was not presenting Becks view as "The Answer" I was in fact showing what I consider to be a deficiency.

I suppose for one who evaluates the likes of Beck via the Soros funded MediaMatters and other left wing blogs... your myopic view is comprehensible.

But "Hollywood Liberals"... hmmm why not read such things from the horses mouth itself?

"How Jewish is hollywood?" by Joel Stein. Let me guess.. "he was writing tongue in cheek?"

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-stein19-2008dec19,0,4676183.column

Fellow_Human

Here's a prediction.

No matter what happens in Egypt in the next few days or weeks, a decade hence most Egyptians will be even poorer and more desperate than they are now and they still won't have a democracy worthy of the name.

Care to take any bets?

I won't bet against that. I think you are on a sure winner.

David

Talking about Democracy, could anyone please tell if there actually is an actual democratic country ? I'd dearly love to know.

individual

It’s a matter of degree. In Australia, for example:

In theory:

--The government cannot just lock you up. They need to persuade a jury that you are guilty of some crime beyond all reasonable doubt.

--You can get rid of the government with ballots rather than bullets.

--You can start a new political party.

--Within certain very wide limits you can say what you like – there is a high degree of freedom of speech.

Is Australia a perfect democracy? No. In fact there’s probably no such thing.

Does the government always respect the rights of Australians? Usually, but not always.

Do you have the right of redress in court? Usually but it can be expensive.

Only someone who is determined not to connect the dots would profess to see no difference between, say, Australia and Egypt.

You can point to areas in which the government went against the wishes of the people – eg participating in the invasion of Iraq. But it was an ELECTED government and if the people had objected strongly enough they could have tossed the government out within a very short period. We have a representative democracy, not a direct democracy. We elect people – often unfortunately party hacks – to take decisions.

So, in answer to you question, there are some countries that are highly democratic, some that are less so and some that are despotic. It's a matter of degree.

There is another point that needs to be made about democracies. They have a relatively free media. So we know in great detail about the pathologies that afflict, say, the USA, India or South Africa.

However if you were to rely on the North Korean or Saudi media you would imagine that these were near perfect societies. And during Mubarak’s time in office, had you relied on the Egyptian media, you may have thought he was a much-loved leader.

People who pooh pooh democracy conveniently forget this. The reason we don’t know how bad Syrian society is, is because the media can’t tell us.

We know the faults of Australia because the ABC or The Age tell us.

Imagine a state controlled Libyan TV staton being as critical of Gadaffi as the ABC was of John Howard

hey Steven...you might love this.

Media...and democracy....

Check this mate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6hH3roMe4w&feature=related

(Edward Bernays on Letterman.)

Very short..but ohhhhhh so very true.

also.. another of your ethnic compatriots.. you might like to research "Jared Cohen" and "Alliance of Youth Movements" re Egypt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jared_Cohen

Individual,

As Steven says, there is probably no such thing as a perfect democracy and never will be: after all, they are moving and changing all the time, and more to the point, they are us, with all of OUR foibles and contending preferences.

At least in democracies, we don't have to celebrate the birthdays of the Dear Leader, or wave flags to celebrate 52 years of rule by one man or one family. In democracies, people are not necessarily jailed for asking for freedom of expression. They are not forced to work in lucrative projects controlled by the army, as in the Zimbabwean diamond fields.

As Churchill said, .......

Joe