Daily Alert Archives

A Light Fails in Egypt

(American Interest) Walter Russell Mead - Morsi's biggest problem never was the liberals of early Tahrir Square; Western-oriented secular liberalism has a long way to go before it can become a significant ideological force among the masses in Egypt. His greatest ideological opponents are cynicism and despair and he is in such deep trouble today because the collapsing economy and the general paralysis make him look like another snake oil salesman selling a fake route to progress. Salafis, the ultra-Islamists, think Morsi's problems stem from his failure to roll out the full glory of Islamist governance. But should their harder and purer faith carry the day, sooner or later the Salafis will come to the place in the road where Morsi stands. There is little reason to believe that more radical Islamist ideas and practices can heal what's wrong with Egypt's economy. Though the Morsi government is losing its ability to govern by hope and by faith, that doesn't mean it will fall. A lot of people hate the government and blame it for making everything worse, but they cannot agree among themselves on an alternative course.
2013-07-01 00:00:00
Full Article