- Dec 6, 2009
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CAIRO The U.N.'s former nuclear chief has yet to return home to his native Egypt after almost a quarter century monitoring the world's atomic programs, but the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize winner has already created the biggest political stir in his homeland in years by hinting at a new career in politics.
Mohamed ElBaradei may one day regret plunging into Egypt's politics where challenges to the regime have been few and swiftly dealt with but his move has injected fresh hope into the country's stagnant political atmosphere.
Except that the chances of ElBaradei of even being allowed to run in the 2011 presidential race are slim, thanks to a series of constitutional amendments pushed through by the government in 2005 and 2007 that practically limit the candidacies to senior members of the ruling party or a few token, officially sanctioned, opposition parties.
Even if he did run, he would be faced by a ruling party candidate backed by the government's vast resources and enjoying the support of the security agencies, the most powerful players in Egyptian elections.
ElBaradei need not look too far back to find examples of what the regime can do to its foes.
Opposition leader Ayman Nour, Mubarak's main challenger in the 2005 presidential elections, was later jailed for nearly four years on forgery charges said by his supporters to be fabricated.
Backed by emergency laws in force for nearly three decades, the regime frequently jails journalists, pro-reform activists and opposition politicians.
Ex-IAEA chief injects life into Egypt's politics - Yahoo! News
Egypt is a virtual dictatorship fully supported by the US government.
Mohamed ElBaradei may one day regret plunging into Egypt's politics where challenges to the regime have been few and swiftly dealt with but his move has injected fresh hope into the country's stagnant political atmosphere.
Except that the chances of ElBaradei of even being allowed to run in the 2011 presidential race are slim, thanks to a series of constitutional amendments pushed through by the government in 2005 and 2007 that practically limit the candidacies to senior members of the ruling party or a few token, officially sanctioned, opposition parties.
Even if he did run, he would be faced by a ruling party candidate backed by the government's vast resources and enjoying the support of the security agencies, the most powerful players in Egyptian elections.
ElBaradei need not look too far back to find examples of what the regime can do to its foes.
Opposition leader Ayman Nour, Mubarak's main challenger in the 2005 presidential elections, was later jailed for nearly four years on forgery charges said by his supporters to be fabricated.
Backed by emergency laws in force for nearly three decades, the regime frequently jails journalists, pro-reform activists and opposition politicians.
Ex-IAEA chief injects life into Egypt's politics - Yahoo! News
Egypt is a virtual dictatorship fully supported by the US government.
