Mass Death Sentences in Egypt

[Sheilbh]

How could it become worse than Pakistan without completely disintegrating?

Exactly.

[jimmy olsen]

Their society seems too urban and densely populated to collapse like that.

[Razgovory]

What's happening in Egypt is awful and predictable.

I don't think it was that predictable.  This is Saddam Hussein level of brutality, not just from a bodycount point of view, but also from the brazen arbitrariness on display.  Most Arab dictators' repression tactics are less absolute than that.  The problem for the rest of us is that this kind of repression either works very well or very badly (and sometimes both, as in the case of Syria).

Hey, this is what you guys wanted.  We had thread on this and everyone but me and Shelf wanted to see military rule restored and Brotherhood gone.  This is how it happens.  What else did you expect?

[Razgovory]

Their society seems to urban and densely populated to collapse like that.

Take a look at Lebanon in the 1980's.  It was pretty urban as well.

[Sheilbh]

Considerably less urban than Lebanon or Syria.

[jimmy olsen]

Considerably less urban than Lebanon or Syria.

Doesn't 95% of the population live within 20km of the river?

[Valmy]

Hey, this is what you guys wanted.  We had thread on this and everyone but me and Shelf wanted to see military rule restored and Brotherhood gone.  This is how it happens.  What else did you expect?

While I do not remember taking a stance on this I am puzzled why military rule means the brotherhood is vindicated.  The main thing I wanted out of this is for the US to stop being party to brutal dictators.  Not sure if I am getting what I wanted or not.

[Razgovory]

Considerably less urban than Lebanon or Syria.

Doesn't 95% of the population live within 20km of the river?

  That reminds me of the time you claimed that destroying Aswan damn would kill 90% of Egypt's population.  Most of the land near the river is farmland.  It's a really long river, Tim, in fact it's the longest in the world.

[Razgovory]

Hey, this is what you guys wanted.  We had thread on this and everyone but me and Shelf wanted to see military rule restored and Brotherhood gone.  This is how it happens.  What else did you expect?

While I do not remember taking a stance on this I am puzzled why military rule means the brotherhood is vindicated.

Did I say the brotherhood is vindicated?  I don't remember saying that.

[CountDeMoney]

Their society seems to urban and densely populated to collapse like that.

Take a look at Lebanon in the 1980's.  It was pretty urban as well.

I found it to be rather urbane.

[Valmy]

Did I say the brotherhood is vindicated?  I don't remember saying that.

Ok then what are you saying exactly?  It sure sounded like you were saying this shows you were right to support the Brotherhood. 

[jimmy olsen]

Actually, I believe the Amazon is now accredited that honor.


It would.

[Sheilbh]

While I do not remember taking a stance on this I am puzzled why military rule means the brotherhood is vindicated.

I thought a military coup was wrong then and that the consequences of military rule were, after a brief honeymoon, pretty inevitable. Seriously within a fortnight they'd set up a public helpline for people to report local members of the Brotherhood. I still think that.

I also didn't think the situation warranted a military coup. I think there's a lot of wrong-headed belief on Islamism (see Tony Blair's recent speech) that causes hyperventilation at the sight of a beard.

At the time of the coup the Brotherhood hadn't tried to impose a dictatorship. There were elections coming up. Their proposed constitution was significantly less Islamist than Sisi's draft (and many of the controversial sections have direct comparisons with Ireland's). In addition to that they were failing. Their support was dropping and, clearly, they never had the backing of the Army or the police anyway.

Given that situation I didn't get the need for a coup. My view was you shouldn't interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake and the Army will no have responsibility for Egypt's economy which is dysfunctional for reasons way beyond Morsi.

It's not about the Brotherhood being vindicated - I'm not even sure what from. They were incredibly incompetent and are a very conservative, very narrow Islamist party. But I was a relatively convinced neo-con and I still, kind-of, am.

[Razgovory]

Did I say the brotherhood is vindicated?  I don't remember saying that.

Ok then what are you saying exactly?  It sure sounded like you were saying this shows you were right to support the Brotherhood.

I think it vindicates that a democratic elected government over military dictatorship.

[DGuller]

What's happening in Egypt is awful and predictable.

I don't think it was that predictable.  This is Saddam Hussein level of brutality, not just from a bodycount point of view, but also from the brazen arbitrariness on display.  Most Arab dictators' repression tactics are less absolute than that.  The problem for the rest of us is that this kind of repression either works very well or very badly (and sometimes both, as in the case of Syria).

Hey, this is what you guys wanted.  We had thread on this and everyone but me and Shelf wanted to see military rule restored and Brotherhood gone.  This is how it happens.  What else did you expect?

I expected the military to do their terrorizing and extermination behind the scenes, not making headlines every week.