A Look At The Anti-Morsi Protests In Video and Photos

An aerial view shows the actual scope of the anti-Mohammed Morsi protests in Egypt. It's truly quite incredible how many have taken to the streets. Millions and millions.



And there is also a plethora of anti-Obama (and therefore anti-US) sentiment out there in response to Obama's stance on the Egyptian people's attempts to wrestle back the fledgling democracy they had initially fought for, until so many foolishly voted the Islamists in. And much anger towards the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, Anne Patterson, for criticizing their protests, and telling them to stand down.

In fact, Obama is going to piss them off even more when the Administration's threat of possibly cutting aid to Egypt if there is a coup becomes common knowledge. They will see this as siding with Morsi once again. Not that they care about our money, they just want Morsi out.

Obama needs to stay out of it.

I wish the Egyptian people much luck, though they have a hell of a lot of work to do on themselves, especially the male population: starting with the abysmal attitude towards women, including rampant sexual harassment of females. Sadly, in Tahrir Square this go round, many women, including a Dutch reporter, a grandmother and 7-year-old child have been sexually assaulted.  No word of whether it was anti-Morsi or pro-Morsi Islamists who were the culprits.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few days.  I had given up on Egypt, but it's looking promising since they have the backing of the military, and the police are trying to not take sides.

H/T Policymic

Salafi Leader Bassem al-Zarqa Wants The Word "Civil" Clarified, Says All Egyptians Salafis

Salafis, those uber-conservative, ultra religious Saudi Arabian brand of Muslims that are poised to take control of the Egyptian government alongside their Muslim Brotherhood brothers refuse to get down with the word "civil", at least until they fully understand what it means.  So what exactly is their problem?  What I gather is that in post-revolution, post-Mubarak Egypt the liberals are battling the soon-to-be majority Islamists over a secular "civil" state versus a religious Sharia dominant Egypt. 

The Egyptian Salafi al-Nour Party, via  Bassem al-Zarqa (one of its members), recently told Al Arabiya News, that

“Salafis reject the use of the word ‘civil’ in a way that does not clarify what it entails and they are now trying to reach an understanding on its meaning with other political powers in Egypt."

“Salafism means following the teachings of the Prophet and his companions. It is based on those teachings that both religion and state were founded, so we can say that all Egyptians are Salafis.”

Wrong. Not all Egyptians are Salafis- there are a heck of a lot of Coptic Christians and secular-minded Muslims living in Egypt who would beg to differ, including Hani Nessira, an Egyptian writer. Nessira explains why Salafis have such a major problem with words like "civil" and "democracy":

“From the Salafi point of view, democracy and civil state mean giving people power over God’s laws and this for them is unacceptable. The creation of a civil state is part of Egypt’s history and it can be traced back to even before the 19th century.”

So, of course they would reject those words, because there is no room for democracy in an Islamist,  Shariah compliant country.  Unfortunately,  a non democratic, non "civil" Egypt would be most detrimental to the Copts who even under a predominately secular, civil state have been terribly persecuted over the decades.  Emad Gad, a Copt and member of  one of the more liberal political parties believes that the Salafis' have a problem with the word "civil"  because of their attitude towards non-Muslims living in Egypt.

“Salafis do not recognize the presence of Egyptian Christians and consider a Pakistani Muslim closer to them than an Egyptian Christian. Therefore, they undermine the principle of citizenship,” he said.

Well, if they believe that all Egyptians are Salafis (as al-Zarqa cleary stated), that doesn't leave room for
anyone else, does it.

According to Gad,  there have been

.... several fatwas issued by Salafi clerics and which label Christians apostates and prohibit dealing with them.


“The Salafi discourse is confused and has very dangerous implications which become clear in their statements about democracy as a form of apostasy.”

Gad wants the Salafis to be more upfront about their position on things like, free speech, freedom of religion, rotation of power- you know, all those democratic principles that the liberal activists fought so hard to achieve during their revolution in Tahrir Square.

“They also need to state whether they are willing to accept whatever the majority of Egyptian political powers agrees on or not,” he concluded.

I think it's a little too late, since the Islamists have pretty much won a majority in the elections there. And, somehow, I don't think the Salafis are ever going to come to terms with the word "civil".

After Attack On Its Embassy In Iran Britain Closes Iranian Embassy and Gives Staff 48 Hours To Leave

I was under the impression that the Iranian people (especially the youth) were fed up with the lack of freedom and major oppression they've been subjected to for the  past 30 plus years. After all, wasn't it mostly students who initially galvanized the pro-democracy "Green Movement" in 2009 after what was deemed a fraudulent presidential election?   But there are still those who are so mired in that backward, Islamist mentality, that they would rather live under subjugation than live in a free society. Witness the students who attacked two British diplomatic compounds in Tehran, vandalizing and destroying property and shouting the usual "Death to" England mantra, all in full view of the Iranian police who did pretty much nothing at first.  Unlike the pro-democracy crowd who risked everything to protest against a repressive regime, these students love their religious masters.

The demonstrations were reported to have been staged by a new pro-regime group called The Muslim Students Followers of the Supreme Leader. They were protesting against tough new financial sanctions imposed by London last week over Iran's nuclear programme.

And though I believe that the attack could not have taken place without government knowledge and approval, officials deny any involvement.  One Tehran University associate professor, Mohammad Marandi,  claims that

 “It was planned and organized by the students but it was not something that came from the government. The students were telling me days before that they were planning to be there in large numbers. They said some students would try (to storm the embassy),” he said. “I don’t think the government is happy with what happened.”

But that seems unlikely.

Britain has now retaliated by closing down its Embassy in Tehran, removed all personnel for their own safety, and has ordered the closure of the Iranian Embassy in London. Iranian diplomats have 48 hours to leave the country. I say, good for the Brits!

 Not surprisingly, Iran has responded with what they do best- veiled threats.

“The British government’s asking Iranian diplomats in London to leave this country is a passive and hasty action,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said in statements emailed to AFP.

“Obviously the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take reciprocal action in this regard and holds the British government responsible for protecting the diplomatic properties and belongings in London,” he added.

“What happened at the British embassy in Tehran was unpredictable. It occured due to the anger of some demonstrators over Britain’s policies regarding the Islamic republic,” Mehmanparast said.  He noted that none of the British diplomats were hurt and said the judiciary was “dealing” with the “violators.”

Right, unlike many of the pro-democracy activists who are still rotting in jail, nothing will happen to these pro-regime thugs; and since Britain is a civilized country, nothing will happen to the  personnel or the property belonging to the Iranian Embassy.

It's hard to imagine that there are still people who are pro-Ahmadinejad, pro-Mullahs. Then again, it was  the Persians themselves who ushered in those dark years of Islamism back in the late 70s when they actually voted for an Islamic Republic.