Are any of you out there that really still believe that Egypt will become a wonderful new democracy? I hope you’re right. But, you’re not. I wish I were wrong. Think Iran 1979. Think Gaza 2005. Egypt 2011 is going to go down the same ugly road. Here are some signs already, reported by Debka.

In their first week in power, Egypt’s new military rulers took two steps that had nothing to do with democratic reform. They allowed Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the radical Sunni preacher exiled by Hosni Mubarak, to return home and lead a victory assembly in Tahrir Square Friday night, Feb. 17 with a call to march on Al Aqsa in Jerusalem. From Qatar, al-Qaradawi repeatedly justified suicide bombings against Israelis. The second was permission for two Iranian war ships to transit the Suez Canal.

Voices from the Obama administration have commented since Mubarak was overthrown that a Muslim Brotherhood taking part in the political transition in Egypt might not be a bad thing. US intelligence officials briefing committees in Congress have not exactly exhibited depth of knowledge about the Brotherhood.

In contrast, Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has warned that a Muslim role in government would put the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty at risk.

Friday night, events in Cairo and other Egyptian towns – and the light they shed on the military rulers’ intentions – made most observers sit up and take a second look at the outcome of the popular revolution.

The Muslim Brotherhood was allowed to take charge of opposition demonstrations in the emblematic Tahrir Square and given permission to build a platform, after the other opposition parties and movements had been refused. Ahead of the big event Friday night, the soldiers withdrew from the square and the Brotherhood’s strong-arm brigades move in. Opposition leaders who tried to mount the platform alongside Brotherhood speakers were thrown off and dragged out of the square without the army interfering.

Continue reading the rest of the story at Debka.

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