Muslim Brotherhood

[davidbfpo]

SWC have debated here the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), although I expect the threads on Egypt, Syria and the Gulf states recently have touched upon the subject.

Of late there has been a serious political dispute within the Gulf states over the support given by Qatar to some rebel factions in Syria; Qatar is no friend of the MB, rather more 'radical' militant factions. Plus the military government in Egypt banning the MB and engaging in a robust, if not brutal "crack down" on the opposition, which is mainly not exclusively MB.

Now the UK is undertaking a review of whether the MB is a terrorist organisation, citing in particular reports that MB leaders in exile in London have plotted against the Egyptian military government. Well reviewed here:http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourking...national-secur

The MB debate found an unlikely Conservative MP ally:

The worst possible thing would be a fit-up job that listed the Muslim Brotherhood on the terrorist list with little or no evidence. It would be a betrayal of our values and make the problem worse.

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-al-Qaeda.html

[davidbfpo]

Will McCants, of Brookings, is always readable and in his article looks at the Muslim Brotherhood's position inside Saudi Arabia:http://www.lawfareblog.com/2014/04/t...e-brotherhood/

[davidbfpo]

A short article 'The Brotherhood Will Be Back' by Shadi Hamid, of Brookings, which ends:

The lesson of the Arab Spring isn’t that Islamist parties are inimical to democracy, but that democracy, or even a semblance of it, is impossible without them. When there are democratic openings — whether that’s in 5, 10 or 15 years — Islamists might look different and talk differently, but they will still be there, waiting and ready to return to political prominence, and perhaps even power.

Link:http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/24/op...eral.html?_r=1

[marct]

My colleague at CCISS and collaborator in the Broken Mirrors podacts has a new report out on the MB's infiltration and "civilizational jihad" in Canada and the US. It's availableat http://tsecnetwork.blogspot.ca/

Cheers,

Marc

[davidbfpo]

The always reliable IMHO Omar Ashour, from Exeter University, has a short gloomy commentary 'Will Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood return to political violence?' on the BBC:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28524510

He concludes:

The Brotherhood leadership so far stress that non-violent civil resistance tactics are their means for toppling the military-dominated government.

But organisational fractures under heavy repression, offshoots, disaffected members, and mutiny against the leadership have happened in earlier crises and have happened in a limited way during the current one, the worst in modern Egyptian history.

And in a regional context - where bullets keep proving that they are much more effective than ballots and where eradication is more legitimate than compromise - the prospects of sustaining non-violence become gloomier

[davidbfpo]

A thirteen page document from the Quilliam Foundation, prepared for the current UK government review of the Muslim Brotherhood's status here:http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp...in-the-uk2.pdf

[davidbfpo]

Based on "leaks" and some briefing from opponents The Daily Telegraph has a story today, sub-titled:

Exclusive: Britain set to curtail Muslim Brotherhood activities and block activists coming to London after report finds ties with armed groups and extremists in Middle East and elsewhere

(It ends, citing a UK diplomat) The report is thorough in pointing out the pitfalls of the Muslim Brotherhood but also its mainstream appeal and continuing role in the region.

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...in-London.html

One wonders whether the apparent disagreements between the diplomats and Home Office officials have been resolved. Plus whether the current furore and focus on ISIS will lead to any change, the story suggest no decisions till December.