Egypt Will Be The Next Global Hotspot

Impact

What is the next global hot spot?

The most worrying situation is the unfolding crisis in Egypt – a situation that the U.S. actively managed to help bring about. Obama and his administration's meddling in Egypt to bring down former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has lead to the Muslim Brotherhood taking over under current President Mohamed Morsi. This is clearly a case of "be careful what you wish for," and yet another clear example of the perils and foolishness of meddling in internal affairs of which you have little understanding. Mubarak posed no threat to the U.S. (or anyone else for that matter) and removing him did great harm to the region and U.S. interests throughout the world. When will the U.S. learn not to meddle where it has no clue?

As the Telegraph's Ben Coughlin makes clear, this dark turn of events in the Middle East could not have have happened without American meddling.

President Obama "has given unqualified support to those campaigning for change in the major Arab capitals, actively encouraging the overthrow of one of Washington’s longest-serving allies, Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, and backing the military campaign to overthrow Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi," Coughlin writes.

Any thought that Morsi might turn out to be "moderate" has been fully put to the sword with his comments on Jews. He has lashed out with the classic anti-Semitic slur that Jews are the "descendants of apes and pigs" and has spewed the blood libel as well. 

Observers are claiming that Egypt is heading down the road to a major split into warring factions. Dr. Mamoun Fandy issues this dire warning in the Times of Israel:

"Morsi’s intransigence will only yield more intransigence on the other side. Will Egypt become so divided that it resembles the state of the Palestinian division between Hamas and Fatah ... or will we split like in Lebanon? This is what can be expected. Will Egyptians realize the price they are about to pay, before their stubbornness pushes them to the edge of Hell?"

Secular Egyptians are despondent, but fortunately have the Judiciary and the army on their side ... for now. Some Egyptians, however, are as fatalistic as this pharmacist. 

"Egypt is lost for good, ruined for good," said Mona El-Ashry, 39. "Today, the Muslim Brotherhood decided to occupy Egypt. The Muslim Brothers do not treat Egyptians as one family. They impose everything on the people and will never leave the throne."

In fact, some Egyptian observers see virtually no difference between Morsi and Mubarak.

One activist was incensed by televised remarks from Morsi. He compared it to "the one Mubarak gave the night before his departure on February 10, 2011," declaring that "it was 'as if Mubarak put a little beard on and went on television.'" On the Egyptian Facebook, a poster was circulating with the words "The people want the downfall trial and judgement of the President."

Well, the Arab Spring has resulted in a big difference for the U.S. and the West. They have lost an ally and gained themselves a hostile Egypt whose leaders share more in common with Iranian rulers than the desired secular democracy.

That said, the Obama administration doesn’t seem to be too worried by Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood’s actions so far. In fact, they are selling high-tech, heavy duty equipment like F-16 fighter jets and Abrams M1A1 to Egypt; an attempt by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) failed to stop the sale despite his sensible objection.

"I think it particularly unwise to send tanks and our most sophisticated fighter planes to Egypt at a time when many are saying the country may be unraveling," Paul said to the Senate.

The possibility of the Muslim Brotherhood acquiring these weapons must worry many in the region, especially Israel. In fact, any rational observer would find the entire idea of exporting these weapons into a potential civil war very odd indeed.

The only question for Egypt is whether it will be civil war or a coup d’etat that ends the current state of play. As with the rest of Arab Spring, only a fool would try to claim either one is a better outcome for Egyptians or the rest of the world.