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No doubt intended to coincide with the white house honor.
Two days of violence outside the Egyptian defence ministry last week may have dramatically altered the political balance, barely two weeks before the presidential election. Commentators believe the clashes have weakened Islamist groups, bolstered the popularity of the army, and strengthened the hand of the candidates from the secular side of Egyptian politics, including those with links to the former regime of Hosni Mubarak. It was the attack on the defence ministry in Cairo on Friday that infuriated many Egyptians. The army holds a special, respected place in Egyptian society, and as far as many Egyptians were concerned it was attacked, not by a foreign enemy, but by Islamists.
That charge may not be fair - there were a number of groups in Friday's demonstration, and a only a small number were involved in the confrontation - but politically that is no longer the point. One soldier died in the attack. Egyptian TV also showed dramatic pictures of injured soldiers. And a day after the clashes, state TV broadcast footage that appeared to show two gunmen firing at the army from the minaret of a neighbouring mosque. On the official Facebook page of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), people wrote "May God praise the army", and "God willing, you will win this battle. The Egyptian people support you."
Al-Qaeda link?
The sit-in outside the defence ministry was originally organised by ultraconservative Islamists, known as Salafists, in support of their disqualified presidential candidate, Hazem Salah Abu Ismail. But the reaction has affected all Islamists, including the more moderate Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood took no part in the action and quickly disbanded a separate protest they were organising in Tahrir Square when the trouble broke out at the defence ministry. "The public doesn't differentiate between Salafists, Wahhabis or Muslim Brotherhood any more," explained blogger and political activist Mamdouh Hamza. "They are all Islamists. They have lost support with the public, it is irreversible. Egyptians have seen their army and soldiers being attacked. It has stirred a lot of emotions." Even as events were unfolding on Friday, state media blamed the Islamists of the Muslim Brotherhood for inciting violence, much as the media used to under Hosni Mubarak, even though there was no evidence to support the charge.
On the street there has been much discussion of the alleged presence outside the defence ministry of Mohammed al-Zawahiri, a brother of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, with many suggesting some sort of link with the militant network. This swing of public opinion comes despite the fact that it was the demonstrators themselves who were originally attacked by unidentified assailants on Wednesday. At least 20 people were killed. The strong suspicion is that someone in power authorised or turned a blind eye to Wednesday's attack. At a news conference on Thursday, a member of the Scaf said just that it was under investigation by the public prosecutor. There have been no reports of arrests. By contrast, the military moved quickly to condemn Friday's violence. Scores of suspects have been arrested and are now being investigated by the military prosecutor.
'Firm hand'
LMAO.........and a rocket from Egypt just hit an Israeli town!!!
BBC News - Rocket fired from Egypt hits Israeli city of Eilat
Some moderate element in Egypt is fucking brilliant politically..........and the president..........is not!!!!
"I can die in a matter of months, so I came for my children, so they can live," a tearful Medhat Ibrahim, 58, who suffers from cancer, said as he waited to vote in a poor district south of Cairo. "We want to live better, like human beings." Thirteen candidates, who include Islamists, liberals and Mubarak regime figures, are contesting the election. No outright winner is expected to emerge from the two-day vote starting Wednesday. So, a runoff between the two top finishers will be held June 16-17. The winner will be announced on June 21. "It's a miracle," said Selwa Abdel-Malik, a 60-year-old Christian from the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria as she was about to vote. "And it's a beautiful feeling too."
For most of his 29-year rule, Mubarak like his predecessors ran unopposed in yes-or-no referendums. Rampant fraud guaranteed ruling party victories in parliamentary elections. Even when, in 2005, Mubarak let challengers oppose him in elections, he ended up not only trouncing his liberal rival but jailing him. Egypt's next president will be the nation's fifth since the monarchy was toppled following a 1952 coup that ushered in six decades of de facto military rule. Like his three predecessors Anwar Sadat, Gamal Abdel-Nasser and Mohammed Naguib Mubarak has a military background.
Many of the candidates in the race have called for amendments in Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel, which most Egyptians continue to view as their nation's number one enemy. Though none will likely to dump the pact, a victory by any of the Islamist or leftist candidates could mean strained ties with Israel and a stronger backing for the Palestinians in the peace process. The generals who have taken over from Mubarak after an 18-day uprising forced him to step down 15 months ago have promised to hand over power by July 1, ending a turbulent transitional period defined by deadly street clashes, a faltering economy, a dramatic surge of crime and human rights abuses.
The military has said it has no intention to cling on to power, but it is not clear what authority it wants to retain after the election of a new president. The generals have said they have no preferred candidate, but they are widely thought to be favoring Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force commander and Mubarak's last prime minister who has steadily gained in opinion polls over the past week. Other front-runners are Mubarak's foreign minister of 10 years Amr Moussa, Mohammed Morsi of the powerful Muslim Brotherhood and Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh, a moderate Islamist whose inclusive platform has won him the support of some liberals, leftists and minority Christians.
The election comes less than two weeks before Mubarak, 84, is due to be sentenced after he was tried on charges of complicity in the killing of some 900 protesters during the uprising against his rule. He also faced corruption charges, along with his two sons, one-time heir apparent Gamal and wealthy businessman Alaa. Whoever wins will face the unenviable task of having to tackle a host of formidable problems, ranging from economic, a tenuous security and soaring unemployment. The next president will serve a four-year term. "May God help the new president," said Zaki Mohammed, a teacher in his 40s as he waited to vote in a district close to the Giza Pyramids. "There will be 82 million pair of eyes watching him." Another voter in line, tour agent Salah Ali, said: "We need someone who works more than he talks."
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