Tag Archives: Egypt

It really is a millitary coup

International,
Tahrir
Photo: Mahed Helal/flickr

Even though I disliked Morsi, even though he mishandled the economy, even though he did not manage to move the democratic process along, even though his conservative religious views are distasteful, there is no doubt that what we see in Egypt is a military coup against a democratic elected president.

I guess there could be situations where a military coup is defensible, especially if a democratic elected leader moves strongly in autocratic and tyrannical direction I can’t see that Egypt was quite there. It is disgusting to see that the west (grudgingly) accept a military coup just because we do not like the leader that is ousted.

We do not know whether the majority of the Egyptian people wanted him ousted. While I wholeheartedly sympathise with the demonstrators on Tahir, and probably would have been there if I had been Egyptian we do not know that they talk for majority of the Egyptian people. We can surmise, but we don’t know. That is what elections are for; to find out.

It is no doubt that Morsi mishandled the situation, no doubt that he had misunderstood his mandate and created strife instead of consensus. Still it does not make a military coup defensible.

 

All inclusive

International, ,

I’ve been on vacation. A glorious week in Egypt, with my wife, kids, sun and warm water.It can hardly be better, but as the good socialist and pietists I am, there is always at least one negative.

The Norwegian author, Bjornson, in the play “Kong Sverre” let one of the characters say:

Evry happy moment you were granted here on earth
must be paid with sorrow
If more are followed, believe,
they are only granted as debt. (my probably bad translation)

Hver Glædesstund, du fik paa Jord,
betales maa med Sorg.
Om flere følges ad, saa tro,
de gives kun paa Borg.

The sorrow lies in the “All inclusive” concept. A concept which is pretty amazing for a family with children who only have a week to relax. However is not amazing for the regional economy. Some argue that only 10 percent of what you as a tourist uses actually becomes part of the regional economy. The rest disappears out of the region you are visiting.

The hotel we lived at in Hurghada is owned by one of the richest men in Egypt. He gets my buck, not the local people. On the other hand, the money at least  stays in Egypt (we hope) and not elsewhere.

However, tourism accounts for over 10 percent of the economy in Egypt. The country can not get on without tourism. Maybe that’s why this t-shirt made it easier for the socialist and pietist to relax below the hot Egyptian sun?