Opinion  Smadar Perry
Man of the year
Smadar Perry
Published: 08.09.13, 20:15
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27 Talkbacks for this article
1. By the same token, Li Peng, the slaughter...
Gunnar ,   Gothenburg, sweden   (09.08.13)
...of Beijing, would be a candidate to the "Man of the Year" 1989 award. He also recalled "stability" as a justification for the Tiananmen Square massacre. Or maybe Smadar Peri is being ironic in her article.
2. General Al Sisi = Gamel Abdel Nasser II. Long may he live!
Rivkah   (09.08.13)
3. We are so lucky
Dan ,   USA   (09.08.13)
We are lucky that Gen. Al-Sisi came along to save us from the evil grip of the Muslim Brotherhood. Islamists believe in one election, one time and that is not real democracy. Real democracy not only requires majority rule, but minority rights. Unt that happy day comes for Egypt, at least there is one leader in this world that knows what he is doing besides the malicious Putin.
4. No better
Steve ,   Ca-usa   (09.08.13)
He gunned-down a thousand unarmed protesters (regardless of their religion) while (someone) in Syria gassed a thousand, what's the difference? Unless he's willing to commit genocide against the MB, killing some of them won't stop them but only make them "stronger". It wasn't just a Coup, it was a bloody Coup. It didn't work for the British in India and it won't work in Egypt. I'm not a supporter of the MB, just objective.
5. #1 There is not much similarity with your example.
NudNik69   (09.08.13)
Yes, on the face of it - the position and actions could look similar, but Eqypt is not China as it was then. China was a true totalitarian society at the time of Tiananmen. When it the massacre took place which comprised of only thousands - not millions of dissenters. That was it. Over. Not the case in Egypt where the country polarised. El-Sisi must deal with MILLIONS. He cannot ever succeed without including the MB. Islam uses Western democratic institutions to change from within to religious state. Is that OK with you? Not El-Sisi nor millions of others around the world who see attack on secularism in order to enslave us with primitive religious regimes. Like Iran. No thanks. Stop looking at the method - look at the intent. We know what the MB were doing and it was NOT democratic. Let's see where El-Sisi goes.
6. Not again!
chris (munich)   (09.08.13)
It wasn't so long ago that you were praising the stability of the Mubarak regime http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4019482,00.html
7. lets face it....
les ,   canada   (09.09.13)
bleeding heart, tree hugging, lefty zombies, under the circumstances this is the best outcome, not only for israel, but for the whole middle east. unless you are for an al quada caliphate to control half of the world.
8. democracy "nonsense"prevents civil war
Lemmings Hotline ,   sd usa   (09.09.13)
Lets face it , the only time when people stop killing each other is when they feel they can be represented in govt sharing power. It becomes nonsense when your religion allows you to use your participation in govt to disembowel the democracy as the MB tried to do. General al Sisi is still on a long leash, and don't forget it.
9. #7. les: you're right!
Tom W ,   USA   (09.09.13)
It's noticeable the leftist's frustration that Sissi crushed their beloved paragon of "democracy" the ruthless Islamofascist Muslim Brotherhood. The "democracy" card now joined the other radical leftist cards like the "race" card, and assorted other inane "trump cards".
10. We don't like to see people suffer.
(09.09.13)
11. @NudNik69 - A massacre is a massacre!
Gunnar ,   Gothenburg, Sweden   (09.09.13)
And to name the person behind it a hero is disgraceful. And yes, I'd rather have religious regime - ELECTED religious regime! - than repressive military regime without public mandate. If that's what they want. Egypt belongs to the Egyptian people and they must be allowed to choose their own path. But it is OK if you see Saudi Arabia, Cuba and North Korea as role model political systems; fine by me. It's your right!
12. #8
Clearsighted ,   USA   (09.09.13)
Lemming, Under strict interpretations of Is\amic law, democracy and Is\am are fundamentally antithetical to each other because man can not vote on laws that conflict with laws handed down by their god. Indeed, the most popular Muslim preacher, Yousef Al Qaradawi, has categorically stated that democracy is un-Is\amic and haram. In any society where significant numbersof the members of that society hold to such totalitarian and anti-democratic beliefs and and view themselves as divinely authorized to murder you if you disagree, democracy, as Americans understand it, will never work.
13. This is the real leader!
Calabi ,   Sydney Aust   (09.09.13)
Democracy is good say if 51% of the winners respect and honor democracy to rule. However when the 51% winners says in action, kill the kafir and kill the minority rights and they did killed!!! That is a real problem, a govt who give de-facto green to institutionalize religious tyranny. They took the victory and Islamize democracy. The military is like God sent. I hope they will be bless by all countries and Israel. God bless Israel and General Sisi.
14. yeah
rm ,   Amsterdam NL   (09.09.13)
Israel just seriously refrain from comments such as this.....it's distasteful to say the least ...
15. Aid from Gulf States Helps
Zechariah   (09.09.13)
In the Bible it says do not oppress an Egyptian for he was a stranger in your land .So we ought hope for the best for Egypt .
16. Israel circa 2030
Sagi   (09.09.13)
The Haredi Brotherhood has been democratically elected and have been in power for one year. They are the majority component of the coalition and have a majority in the parliament and so being Zacharia Yankelevitch of Mea shearim has been elected as President. Reb Dovid Nissanson of Bnei Brak is the PM and all ministerial offices have been abolished, in their stead a cabinet has been appointed comprising of the top ten Gaonim of the day. A Sanhedrin is appointed to replace the Rabbanut and nepotism is rife throughout the civil service. The last bastion of normality is the military establishment and the generals are contemplating a take over. If anyone denies this scenario then he is denying reality which is staring us in the face.
17. What democracy means
Jacob E ,   Holon, Israel   (09.09.13)
All the previously non-diplomatic states have an election and then suddenly call themselves a democracy. Democracy is not about having an election. It is about what the elected leader does after being elected and how they transfer power following the next election. Hamas was elected diplocatically... Abbas has stayed in office without any new election These are not democracies and neither was Egypt.
18. To: No. 14
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (09.09.13)
Why don't you refrain from commenting on issues particular to the Middle East. Has the European Union suddenly run out of problems? Is the Netherlands suddenly financially stable? The answer to both is "no." So why don't you worry about your more immediate problems and let Israel worry about its immediate problems? For you to do otherwise would be distasteful, to say the least .... Take care of your considerable problems before deigning to concern yourself with mine. In other words, BUTT OUT of that which does not concern you in the least. If you run out of things to do, there's always cleaning the AIDS-ridden whores out of Amsterdam's red light district. Such a disgusting and degenerate country, the Netherlands! How do the Dutch stand themselves?
19. al-Sisi is right for Egypt and the world.
michael redbourn ,   Lisbon Portugal   (09.09.13)
Most European leaders not only have no concept about the ME they don't even see that they are now faced with a choice between democracy and Islam and for some EU countries it is already to late. Mubarak was right for Egypt too and the West through him under the bus. The Shah was right for Iran and the West got him replaced with the mad Ayatollahs. And the majority of US leaders have no concept of the ME or the danger to the 'free' world from Islam.
20. #12 so why MB worked to get elected? - Jihad
Lemmings Hotline ,   sd usa   (09.09.13)
The jihad principle allows you to put aside all Islamic law in order to further your war goals. If you need to lie and cheat , steal and murder to get elected , its all OK as long as you cross your fingers behind your back, and concentrate on the word Jihad. That's why you need to make each person who votes sign a "non jihad" disclosure clause approved by a majority of imams and ayatollahs that the muslim is bound by his word to represent ALL of the people. (if such a thing is possible)
21. #20
Clearsighted   (09.09.13)
A very perceptive question, indeed. Perhaps, the short answer to your question is to note that Adolf Hitler was DEMOCRATICALLY elected. So was the dictatorship in Gaza. Totalitarians have nothing against elections as long as they win. Once they do, they never look back. A more detailed answer is that the MB worked to get elected because our Is\amophilic, pro-MB president opened the door for them by interfering in an internal Egyptian struggle on the side of the MB and threw Mubarak, a 30 year ally of the United States, under the bus. He repeated this in Libya (where the US had NO strategic interest) and he is back at it again in Syria where, once again, the US has no dog in the fight. The common thread is Obama's desire to help Sunni jihadists and Is\amic supremacists come to power. I believe that this is an ideological issue for Obama just like his desire to "fundamentally transform America." I also believe he will persist, as long as he is president, in promoting the pro-MB agenda wherever he can even if it means setting fire to the entire Middle East or the world. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if, even if Congress disapproves military action in Syria, if Obama found some other way to help the jihadis or outright defies Congress.
22. # 21 Clearsighted perhaps
Sagi   (09.09.13)
but also shallow. You have repeated a very common fallacy. Hitler was not elected by any democratic process or even anything resembling one.Try opening a history book and get the facts, dates and events correct.
23. Maybe it's a transitional phase
Ian ,   Newcastle upon Tyne   (09.09.13)
The present situation in Egypt reminds me so much of what happened in Chile in 1973.Just like then,a 'democratically' elected president who was ruining his country was ousted by the army;then led by Pinochet,now by al-Sisi. Despite all the contempt thrown at Pinochet at the time by the usual lefties,he turned Chile into a stable democracy with a revived,strong economy.That's why I think that it's far too early to be definite about al-Sisi.All that can be said is that he was the right man for the moment and if the Chile experience is any guide,he could turn out to be one of the greatest Egyptians of modern times. THREE CHEERS FOR ISRAEL!!!
24. Divided About al-Sisi
Christy ,   Boston, US   (09.09.13)
On the one hand he used force to oust a democratically elected president of Egypt. People were killed and are being killed. I don't enjoy seeing people killed. On the other hand - it was clear the vast majority of Egyptians did not like the direction Morsi was taking Egypt. Morsi was digging in his heels and not listening to the people. It was reported that under Morsi Egypt became very lawless and violent for various groups of people. I pray al-Sisi can bring stability to Egypt and a return to government officials elected by - and serving - all the Egyptians. I support US Aid to Egypt if it seems like al-Sisi is bringing such stability.
25. How many MB killed their own to make him look bad?
More than you know ,   Viva Al-Sisi   (09.11.13)
26. #22 Shallow
Clearsighted ,   USA   (09.11.13)
Before tossing ignorant ad hominem barbs at me, perhaps, you should practice what you preach. Start with reading the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich if you are capable of reading such a long and detailed work so that you can thereafter speak with some knowledge of the subject. Hitler was DEMOCRATICALLY elected to the Reichstag in the German Federal Elections of March, 1933 when the Nazis captured 191 or 33.09% of the seats in the Reichstag, making it the largest party in Germany. On 30 January 1933, the then DEMOCRATICALLY elected President of the Weimar Repbulic, Paul von Hindenburg, appointed Hitler Chancellor of Germany. It was not until March 23, 1933, with the passage of the "Enabling Act", that Hitler became dictator of Germany. As a result, historically, the March, 1933 election has long been considered the last free election in Germany before the end of WWII.
27. #24
Clearsighted ,   USA   (09.11.13)
If it helps, Christy, consider that while Morsi may have been "democratically elected", he subsequently assumed dictatorial powers. So, what Al-Sisi did was remove someone who had made clear that he had no interest in preserving democracy and, like Hamas in Gaza, would not, in all likelihood have stood for free and fair elections again.
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