It has been just over three weeks since Egyptian freedom was proclaimed by most every news organization and confirmed by President Obama himself.

And it has been just over two weeks since, with the address of Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi at Tihrir Square, the idea of Egyptian freedom ended. In the sermon, he asked the Egyptian army “to open wide the Rafah crossing and to pray for the re-conquest of Jerusalem by the Muslims, so that he and the Muslims could pray in security at Al-Aqsa Mosque.” This part of his sermon was cheered and applauded by the crowd…. (Pipeline News)   

A Summary of Egypt’s Week of Freedom

• Mubarak’s resignation was announced by Vice President Omar Suleiman in a brief statement that brought roars of joy to Egyptians gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square — the epicenter of the protest movement — as well as the presidential palace in the suburb of Heliopolis and all around the country.
• Cries of “Egypt is free” rang out as ecstatic protesters hoisted soldiers onto their shoulders and families posed for pictures in front of tanks in streets flooded with residents of the capital of 18 million people.
• Strangers hugged strangers, some fell to kiss the ground, and others stood stunned in disbelief. Chants of “Hold your heads high, you’re Egyptian” roared with each burst of fireworks overhead.
• “I’m 21 years old and this is the first time in my life I feel free,” an ebullient Abdul-Rahman Ayyash, born eight years after Mubarak came to power, said as he hugged fellow protesters in Tahrir, or Liberation, Square.

“The greatest day”

• Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and leading Egyptian democracy advocate, said Friday was “the greatest day of my life.”
• “The country has been liberated after decades of repression,” ElBaradei (who thought he might be acclaimed leader) told The Associated Press. He said he expected a “beautiful” transition of power.
• A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s biggest opposition group, said it was waiting to see what steps would be taken by the military’s Supreme Council, but also sounded an optimistic note.
• “I salute the Egyptian people and the martyrs. This is the day of victory for the Egyptian people. The main goal of the revolution has been achieved,” Mohamed el-Katatni, former leader of the Brotherhood’s parliamentary bloc, told Reuters.
• Another leading opposition figure, Ayman Nour, said he was looking forward to a transition period that would lead to a civilian government.
• “This is the greatest day in the history of Egypt that will not be repeated. This nation has been born again. These people have been born again and this is a new Egypt,” he told Al-Jazeera.
• At the White House, President Barack Obama said that “Egyptians have inspired us” and that “I’m confident the people of Egypt can find the answers” to the transition questions that lie ahead.

Now We Have Reality

The Obama team has decided that it can live with and work with Islamist regimes  in the Middle East, so long as Al Qaeda is not the group in power. In other words the Muslim Brotherhood is just fine, if it succeeds in taking power in Egypt and other Arab countries currently in turmoil. The new policy as described in a Washington Post article and then offers his reaction:

“The administration is already taking steps to distinguish between various movements in the region that promote Islamic law in government. An internal assessment, ordered by the White House last month, identified large ideological differences between such movements as the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and al-Qaeda that will guide the U.S. approach to the region.”

Get it? Al-Qaeda is bad because it wants to attack U.S. embassies, the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon.

BUT the Muslim Brotherhood is good! Because it merely wants to seize state power, transform Egypt into an Islamist state, rule 90 million people, back Hamas in trying to destroy Israel, overthrow the Palestinian Authority, help Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood overthrow the monarchy, and sponsor terrorism against Americans in the Middle East.

I’m sure you can see the difference. This is the nonsense that the administration has been working toward for two years. It is the doctrine pushed by the president’s advisor on terrorism, elements in the CIA, and White House ideologues. The State and Defense departments are probably horrified. 

Here’s the next paragraph:

“We shouldn’t be afraid of Islam in the politics of these countries,” said a senior administration official . . . “It’s the behavior of political parties and governments that we will judge them on, not their relationship with Islam.”

You can see these people are utterly hopeless. We have nearly 23 months before we have an opportunity To return to a foreign policy in Washington that stands strong for America and our friends. On that day we must addressIslamic jihad at home and araound the earth.

 (HT/Richard Baehr, The American Thinker, March 4, 2011)

Update: (Reuters) March 6, 2011: The military council which has ruled Egypt since Mubarak stepped down redeployed the police force Sunday. . . . Men in plain clothes armed with swords and petrol bombs attacked protesters in Cairo on Sunday night during a demonstration.

GOLLY! Protesters and demonstrations in Egypt? How can this be?