Sham Election In Egypt

Articles

Sham Election In Egypt

By Craig Chamberlain
Sept. 9, 2005

Egypt, the most populous nation in the arabic world, has just held its first contested presidential election. Contested in the way that the Oakland Raiders were able to make their game with the New England Patriots a contest. Mubarak, Egypts autocratic leader for the last 24 years, "won" with about 80 percent of the vote. I have only one question: Did anyone think he was actually going to lose? I will give Mubarak this much, when he rips off an election he isn't as blatant about it as Ben-Ali of Tunisia is(he regularly gets 99% of the vote).

The Egyptian people didn't fall for it. Most have the turnout rate at about 30%. By contrast in 2004 we had a turnout of about 60%. And what has been the reaction in the west to this farce? Relief and applause. Mubarak, who came to power in 1981 following the assasination of Anwar Sadat, has kept reform at bay by using the wests fear of Islamists. And Mubarak might be right, if a real election were held someone aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood might well win the election.

There is demand for change in the middle east. In Lebanon, we saw the withdrawl of the Syrians, in Iraq we see the writing of a constitution, in Afghanistan we see the people getting ready to elect a parliment. Reform in Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait, has been moving along but unnoticed by the west.

Democracy is the answer. Autocrats can't be allowed to rule anymore. This will probably be Mubaraks last term, who will we try to get in power then to keep the wolves away?

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About the author: Craig Chamberlain has written more than 100 articles for Useless-Knowledge.com.

Email: craig_chamberlain@hotmail.com

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