Egyptians vote freely for the first time

[Charles_Main]

Large numbers of Egyptians streamed into polling places, taking the first step toward moving their revolution from Tahrir (or Liberation) Square into the halls of government. Voters standing in long lines, some waiting uncomplainingly for up to three hours, applauded the promise of an end to the rigged parliamentary and presidential elections under toppled president Hosni Mubarak, which they derided as frauds that produced precooked results.

“Before, we could all just sit at home,” said Khalid Hassan, a 46-year-old window repairman voting in Cairo’s humble Abassiyah neighborhood. “We knew they would just say what they wanted about the results, and our vote had no meaning. I could say no, they would say yes. I could say yes, they would say no.”

The turnout, described as unprecedented by State Information Service Director Ismail Khairat, was estimated by the government’s High Judicial Commission at 60 percent, three times that of the last election. It suggested an eagerness by millions of Egyptians to carry forward the democratic uprising that began Jan. 25 in Tahrir Square and led to Mubarak’s departure Feb. 11.

Whatever the verdict on the proposed amendments, the vote propelled Egypt to the front of the line in a reform movement that has swept through Arab nations across the Middle East over the last three months.

Egyptians swarm polls in first vote since revolution - The Washington Post

A good day for Egypt, lets hope this trend continues.

Where is the recognition from those on the left that this wave of up risings in the Middle east and North Africa can be traced back, at least in part to our actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At least that was part of the argument for attacking those countries. That if we brought democracy there it would increased the popular demand of more Democracy across the middle east. Seems like now that is happening, and nobody is talking about how Iraq and Afghanistan may have been part of the catalyst.

I'm not so sure about Afghanistan, but an argument can be made that what's happened in Iraq has influenced the events in these other ME countries. Although my guess is internal issues that have been under a pressure cooker for the last few decades have played a much larger role. I think the rise in social media has played a role in all this too.

Absolutely these places have been boiling for Decades, and communications through social Media are a factor. All I was saying is there has to be some credit given, especially with Iraq, to the effect of seeing 90% of Iraqis vote and determine their own Futures. That had to add fuel to the fire at least.

The Same can be said about this current action in Libya. Seeing the world respond and defend these rebels in Libya, has to be adding fuel to the fires in Up risings across the region.

 

[The T]

A good day for Egypt, lets hope this trend continues.

Where is the recognition from those on the left that this wave of up risings in the Middle east and North Africa can be traced back, at least in part to our actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At least that was part of the argument for attacking those countries. That if we brought democracy there it would increased the popular demand of more Democracy across the middle east. Seems like now that is happening, and nobody is talking about how Iraq and Afghanistan may have been part of the catalyst.

I'm not so sure about Afghanistan, but an argument can be made that what's happened in Iraq has influenced the events in these other ME countries. Although my guess is internal issues that have been under a pressure cooker for the last few decades have played a much larger role. I think the rise in social media has played a role in all this too.

Absolutely these places have been boiling for Decades, and communications through social Media are a factor. All I was saying is there has to be some credit given, especially with Iraq, to the effect of seeing 90% of Iraqis vote and determine their own Futures. That had to add fuel to the fire at least.

The Same can be said about this current action in Libya. Seeing the world respond and defend these rebels in Libya, has to be adding fuel to the fires in Up risings across the region.

But more to the point, after this action is completed IN Libya? What type of government will be in place there? We are still in the dark in regards to Egypt.

This OP is hopeful regarding Democracy...but the late 70's and IRAN still loom large as to what Egypt will end up with. My bet is on an Islamic Regime hostile to Liberty, and the West.

We will see.

No One knows...

 

[Chris]

The world is becoming more democratic every day....

By 1950, only 22 of the 80 sovereign political systems in the world (28 percent) were democratic. When the third wave of global democratization began in 1974, there were 39 democracies, but the percentage of democracies in the world was about the same (27 percent). Yet by January 2000, Freedom House counted 120 democracies, the highest number and the greatest percentage (63 percent) in the history of the world.

A Report Card on Democracy | Hoover Institution

 

[The T]

The world is becoming more democratic every day....

By 1950, only 22 of the 80 sovereign political systems in the world (28 percent) were democratic. When the third wave of global democratization began in 1974, there were 39 democracies, but the percentage of democracies in the world was about the same (27 percent). Yet by January 2000, Freedom House counted 120 democracies, the highest number and the greatest percentage (63 percent) in the history of the world.

A Report Card on Democracy | Hoover Institution

When we have a Democracy under total Islamic Rule? Let us know?

 

[Chris]

The world is becoming more democratic every day....

By 1950, only 22 of the 80 sovereign political systems in the world (28 percent) were democratic. When the third wave of global democratization began in 1974, there were 39 democracies, but the percentage of democracies in the world was about the same (27 percent). Yet by January 2000, Freedom House counted 120 democracies, the highest number and the greatest percentage (63 percent) in the history of the world.

A Report Card on Democracy | Hoover Institution

When we have a Democracy under total Islamic Rule? Let us know?

Do you have any Muslim friends?

 

[California Girl]

Egypt isn't ready for this kind of step. Gotta ask why who's pulling what strings to get this kind of vote pushed through when the political parties haven't had time to organize themselves. I don't see the US trying to impose it's will.... I see smart people asking smart questions... and gullible fools pretending it's not our business to ask.

You might be prepared to accept another Iran in the world... some of us would prefer a real democracy in Eygpt.... that is, after all, what their citizens died to achieve. Some of us fear that their revolution will be snatched away from them, just like it was in Iran.

Who decides what Egypt is ready for? I think that's up to the Egyptians. Their culture is far older then our own. It's been hobbled by colonialism. I think it's high time they grabbed and embraced their own destiny. People are happier and make better decisions when they have a say and a stake in their own governments. I, for one, want Egyptians to feel as proud of their country..as I do of mine.

Common sense, along with some critical thinking should enable anyone with a reasonable intellect to understand this. Clearly you lack both. It's got jack shit to do with their culture... apart from the fact that their culture does not include a democratic process.... they have no experience, no real understanding of democracy.... You assume that I want something other for Egyptians? I don't. I want them to have a real, honest democracy... not some bullshit Iranian type of democracy.... Unfortunately, the rush towards it means it is more likely to go like Iran.

I don't do 'happy clappy, let's pretend it's all fine'. You do, fine. I'm more realistic.

 

[Chris]

Egypt isn't ready for this kind of step. Gotta ask why who's pulling what strings to get this kind of vote pushed through when the political parties haven't had time to organize themselves. I don't see the US trying to impose it's will.... I see smart people asking smart questions... and gullible fools pretending it's not our business to ask.

You might be prepared to accept another Iran in the world... some of us would prefer a real democracy in Eygpt.... that is, after all, what their citizens died to achieve. Some of us fear that their revolution will be snatched away from them, just like it was in Iran.

Who decides what Egypt is ready for? I think that's up to the Egyptians. Their culture is far older then our own. It's been hobbled by colonialism. I think it's high time they grabbed and embraced their own destiny. People are happier and make better decisions when they have a say and a stake in their own governments. I, for one, want Egyptians to feel as proud of their country..as I do of mine.

Common sense, along with some critical thinking should enable anyone with a reasonable intellect to understand this. Clearly you lack both. It's got jack shit to do with their culture... apart from the fact that their culture does not include a democratic process.... they have no experience, no real understanding of democracy.... You assume that I want something other for Egyptians? I don't. I want them to have a real, honest democracy... not some bullshit Iranian type of democracy.... Unfortunately, the rush towards it means it is more likely to go like Iran.

I don't do 'happy clappy, let's pretend it's all fine'. You do, fine. I'm more realistic.

No, you are just ignorant.

Egypt is not Iran.

 

[Trajan]

the teeming masses outside the westernized buffer zones are not malleable in this context, the way you seem to think they are....I'll share this snippet which you are free to read in whole to make the point I think CG is making and I certainly am;

My husband and I similarly found ourselves nearly the only Westerners on the streets of workaday downtown Cairo after we made the mistake—or so it seemed at the time—of advance-booking a room in a perfectly decent and clean pension run by two Frenchwomen atop a rickety office building, except that (as we discovered) Cairo, outside of its most upscale venues, does not have properly functioning plumbing and sewage systems. We were only a five-minute walk from Tahrir Square and the five-star hotels along the Nile that flank it, and we wondered why we hadn’t just checked into the Semiramis InterContinental, where we spent a great deal of time using the restrooms and eating lunch during Ramadan because hardly any freestanding restaurants were open. Later, we were grateful that we had chosen our penny-pinching accommodations, because we were forced to see, as I had come to see on my rambles in Tunis, exactly what the everyday Islamic world is like, the world pullulating just underneath the highly educated and highly secularized elite socioeconomic patina that forms the sole contact that most tourists, diplomats, NGO apparatchiks, journalists, and intellectuals have with the Islamic world.

Before the Deluge | The Weekly Standard

 

[Chris]

The Weekly Standard???

When was the last time Bill Kristol was right about anything?