Military pardons soldier who turned protester (click here)
Cairo - The Higher Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces, now in control of the country, said Saturday it had pardoned a soldier who defected to join protesters during the recent popular uprising.
The military said Major Ahmed Shoman was pardoned because the army “believes in the noble purpose behind the January 25
revolution,” despite his actions having gone “against the laws and charters ruling this institution.”
Shoman spoke to Arab media during the protests in Tahrir Square, which served as the hub of Cairo's anti-government protests, saying he wanted to protect the people, not the regime....
Again, I have to agree with the program content of "GPS" when stated "The Muslim Brotherhood" is more or less 'in transition' of what the sterotype of "Radical Islamists" is in the USA.
If one admits the Murbarak regime was oppressive, then one also has to make the statement that the 'so called radicals' are not really all that radical if they are demanding freedom, human rights and democracy. Of course, it has always been debateable that the "Brotherhood" would actually allow democracy as the Egyptian people are envisioning it, but, the Brotherhood took a very deliberate 'back seat' to the demonstrators. While they supported the movement, they did not come out to deceive anyone as to the beginnings of the current democracy movement. And let's face it, would the Muslim Brotherhood actually be expected to be marching along side an Egyptian soldier?
The current movement in Egypt and the Middle East will bring these groups to prominence. There is no doubt about it and they will even move into the political structure with quite possibly powerful seats of government. But, will the people of Egypt actually seek these groups as their answer knowing they could end up worse than when they started?
The people of the Middle East are also not alone. Beside 'The West" hoping for the best, there are international voices, such as Mr. ElBaradei, positioned in the dialogue to insure peace is a directive of the new democracy. Currently, Omar Suleiman seems to be far less offensive to the people of Egypt. There is no displacement of a 'peaceful' Egypt in the current transition. So, the alarm is hardly real.
The Muslim Brotherhood are not foolish and illiterate. They are educated people seeking change in Egypt. We have to trust the people of Egypt and its current leadership to insure 'peace' is a high priority when the transition is complete.
This is not time for 'scardy cats' from the political Right to begin to rattle their sabors. There is simply no reason to believe democracy is adverse to Egyptian's peace movement.
Israel is right there and The Six Day War was no joke.
Latest update 02:19 21.02.11
The lighter side of the uprising (click here)
Whether in conversations, texts or e-mails, jokes are part and parcel of the Egyptian revolution.
By Amira Hass
...Some 20 years ago, I learned from Gazans that their neighbors, the Egyptians, "always make up jokes." That was a partial response to the question of why the Gazans themselves always know how to make themselves and others laugh with some sort of amusing witticism concerning their terrible situation. And when does one know that the awful situation has become even worse? When the supply of jokes runs out....
