Egypt In Transition
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-01-24/egypt-transition
A year ago, protestors in Cairo's Tahrir Square sparked the revolution that toppled the Mubarak regime. Egypt's first freely elected Parliament in more than 60 years held its first session Monday. Diane and her guests discuss the challenges ahead for Egypt and its relationships with other countries in the region and the U.S.
Guests
Robin Wright
journalist, joint fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center and author of "Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World"
Samer Shehata
assistant professor of Arab politics, Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies.
William Taylor
Special Coordinator for Middle East Transitions at the U.S. State Department.
Program Highlights
Last January, activists in Egypt launched an uprising in Tahrir Square. Demands for political reform led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. A newly-elected parliament held its inaugural session about one year later. Diane and guests examine the transition taking place in Egypt now.
What Has Changed Since Mubarak Stepped Down?
The biggest change, Taylor said, is that the people of Egypt now have a voice. "The people's voices not only in elections, but also on the street, are now being heard around the world," he said. Some things, however, haven't changed. The military played a large role under Mubarak, as it does now. The newly-elected parliament now has real power, and it must organize itself so it can efficiently legislate, Taylor said.
U.S.-Egypt Relations: Our Priorities
"Our priorities are to see and support a transition to a democratic government," Taylor said. "Our relations with Egypt benefit us, the United States, and I believe they benefit the Egyptian people as well. These relationships we want to maintain," he said. The Egyptian economy is in deep trouble, and the government is currently examining the possibility of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund to help alleviate some of its immediate problems, Taylor said.
What Happens If The Military Doesn't Cede Power?
The people have expressed themselves well, and Taylor expects that they will demand the military cede power. The military has made it clear that it intends to turn power over to the civilian government by next July, when a new president will have been elected under a new constitution. "I believe them when they say they do not like governing," Taylor. They are not eager to cling to power," Taylor said of the military leadership.
Another View Of The Military's Intentions
Samer Shehata is not as convinced that the military will cede power so easily. "The military has made comments and done things that really lead many of us to question their desire to midwife a democratic transition, which is what they promised, or their willingness to cede power," Shehata said. "They have interests. They have interests that they want to maintain."
You can read the full transcript here.
Comments
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Is there a possibility that this new parliament can be constructed without the division of religions as an absolute ground work for the basis of a new Egyptian government. It would be amazing to see the Egyptian people united and not further divided.
I worry about the loss of women's rights in Egypt. What can be done to secure the rights of women in Egypt and not watch them unravel
I am a 30 yr old army veteran who plans on travel to Egypt and also Israel. What's the level of reseptiveness towards an American like myself during travel.
So the Muslim Brotherhood is affiliated with Hamas and Hezbollah and who knows who else. But for some reason the US can't bring itself to talk to Hamas and Hezbollah!
As a Palestinian this is what I find so but so frustrating about US foreign policy. It's this cocky and assured pretention the US knows who the bad guys really are and what kind of punishment they deserve when in fact it's all about how cowerdly the US is when confronted by a nation whose population is, say, larger than 50 million people.
So instead of having the balls to attack someone like the Soviet Union or China the US much rather invade a little island like Grenada, or dirt poor countries like Vietnam or Iraq. Go in there and reign havoc, kill at will, laugh at those who've been massacred along with their wives and children, yeah, shock and awe their sorry asses.
What makes matters worse is how the US power elite has so thoroughly brainwashed the American populace. Some years ago I read a letter to the editor by someone who's critical of Yasser Arafat and mentioned how Arafat was good for nothing.
Well, I looked up this guy's name in the phone book and thought I'd give him a call just to remind him of a few good things Arafat did, or try to do. Goodness, the moment I identified myself as a Palestinian and told him why I called, the man began to cry and beg for his life.
There was nothing I could do but hung the phone. I became very angry but not at the poor fellow I called but rather at the US Congress and media for the dastardly job they've done on issues like the Middle East.
In the meantime, we Palestinians are asked to put up with this nonsense no matter how long it takes or how many lives are claimed or how much of our land is lost just because the US and its media can't bring themselves to think straight about its foreign policy.
When, oh when, will this charade come to an end?! The US needs to do some serious growing up and get real.