Egyptian Supreme Court throws out the Parliament

[mrstickball]

Mr Khan said:

Soleron said:
Their culture is not ready for democracy. They need to get over their uncompromising religion, their tribal customs, and their factionalism.

(Obviously there are rational individuals among them but collectively, Arab society defaults to a feudal state and the only way to stop it is to rule with an iron fist (be that dictator or military council or theocracy). Maybe in two generations people will stop accepting leaders just because they are the same religion or tribe or colour as them.

I'd argue that they are, given that they made the push to get Mubarak out, a push that was largely endogenous and was not, in its origins, a movement of the religious. The religious mobilized in response to the opening, but it needs to be seen whether the Islamic Brotherhood can govern responsibly. I would argue they at least need the chance to try before the military and elitist interests take the opportunity away.

I agree.

If they want to democratically elect religious extremists, that's their choice. And if they run the country into an unmitigated disaster (e.g. attack Israel rather than build the economy), they should pay for it, too.

Freedom comes at great responsibility. If they want freedom without responsibility, they will have a disaster.