How much aid do we give to Egypt?
Other analysts, however, sounded notes of doubt, pointing out that Egypt's Parliament, dominated by the National Democratic Party, planned to take some two weeks to work out the details of the constitutional amendment. Other countries, like Tunisia, allow a few hand-picked opposition members to run, but the president gets virtually all the publicity and racks up an overwhelming majority in each election. Egypt's Parliament has a long history of diluting reforms, critics noted, and may yet announce rules on candidacy that would create the aura of democracy while preventing any real change. Also, the president only mentioned amending the constitutional article on how the president is chosen, No. 76, not No. 77, which provides for unlimited terms.
"This is a way to improve his image with the Americans and to please them with some formal changes," said Ibrahim Eissa, a columnist and political analyst. "While at the same time he is keeping everything else unchanged, like the emergency laws, imprisoning the opposition, the state controlling the media and political parties existing just on paper. This is deception." nytimes.com
If we get true democracy in the Middle East, you might not like the result. Remember the Taliban?
John |
