tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16816866.post2022096880126760681..comments2024-02-29T02:10:56.878-08:00Comments on J O S H U A P U N D I T: Egypt: The Muslim Brotherhood Vs. The Old OrderFreedom Fighterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13649470110087808596noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16816866.post-46467486578089619562012-05-29T07:56:34.353-07:002012-05-29T07:56:34.353-07:00"If its a reasonably honest election, I'd..."If its a reasonably honest election, I'd predict a win for Musri." I agree. Furthermore given the intense and often hostile media scrutiny the opponents of the MB will face it is hard to envision how they would be able to pull off any electoral fraud without it being widely reported in the news media.<br /><br />If Shafiq wins, you can expect a great deal more turmoil and unrest." Again, I agree, however, as in when Mubarak was overthrown, the whole thing depends on the military. Many people including much of the media think Mubarak was overthrown because of the bravery of the protestors. This is not the case. Mubarak was ousted because the military chose to stand down. <br /><br />"In fact, Shafiq's campaign headquarters in the residential quarter of Dokki were trashed and burnt to the ground by protestors..." Can you imagine how the media would have reacted if Shafiq's supporters had behaved this way toward Musri's supporters? The media would have howled with rage against Shafiq and his supporters. When supporters of the MB do this kind of thing, there is virtual silence.<br /><br />Its clear who the media wants. When Mubarak fell, they gushed like school girls experiencing their first crush toward the "rebels." Even before we really had any clue who these people were or what their agenda might be. As far as I can tell, we still don't knew who funded it, organized it, and directed it.<br /><br />By trashing the campaign headquarters of an opponent might the MB have over played a good hand. Clearly they have the lead. Clearly even the military leaders want change. After all they stood down when Mubarak fell. Given these actions by the MB supporters, they might not be so quick to stand down next time.<br /><br />Furthermore they may have learned some lessons from observing Bashar Assad in Syria. His forces did not stand down at the first sign of protest. Instead they brutally suppressed the protests and are on the verge of complete and total victory. For that matter, we could learn allot by studying the tactics and methods applied by Mr. Assad. I'm not suggesting they apply to our situation necessarily but it is a clear domonstration on how to win a war.B.Posternoreply@blogger.com