Charlie Rose

Gelles  11/26/2011 07:28 AM Report

Naguib Sawiris, former Chairman, Orascom Telecommunications, the Egyptian mobile phone system provider, associated with GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), which serves more than 100 million subscribers in the Middle East, IS FOUNDER OF THE FREE EGYPTIANS PARTY, a new and secular rival of the Muslim Brotherhood, the long established religious movement in North Africa that may be compared with the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

(I am sorry to say the above paragraph is at best approximate. You will have to run down an accurate account of mobile phone operations and current political parties in North Africa and the Middle East in Wikipedia and other sources. I did the above in only a few minutes.)

Forgetting for the moment an accurate description of the telecom and party structures in and surrounding Egypt, Naguib Sawiris is known to Charlie Rose and has been presented by phone to us. I like him, so far. He wants a secular state in Egypt -- reminiscent of sates like Turkey was for decades and still is to a degree.

Mr. Sawiris tells us, truthfully, how difficult democracy is when it demands elections that may easily be won by its bitterest enemies.

Democracies are notorious for electing governments who thereafter never allow another election not already in the bag for their party (which will rely on police, army and street thug operations until a fascist-like nation is defeated in war by a superior power with the will to force fundamental change of a more civilized character.)

(With communist-like nations, especially like Russia, defeat by another power was not possible. Change came from within.)

The issue before America now, however, is not clear or easy. We want pro-American allies, like Germany and South Korea, where we still keep major military force -- backed up by by strategic rocket and Naval forces that make clear the risks of nuclear war.

But such allies are not that easy to identify before they are tested.

Although North Korea and Cuba may be seen as enemies, they are so small compared to our partners in China, Pakistan and some Islamic nations, (which partners may become rivals -- even enemies -- in a flash), our real situation relative to to a peaceful and cordial future, seems to be always at risk.

I like and trust Sawiris, and his claim that he is unafraid of his enemies because life and death (after a first death on Earth) is acceptable to him (and inescapable in all events.)

Thanksgiving Day is now past. Charlie Rose has given us Marilyn Monroe as our early Christmas gift. Who needs more death on the streets of Cairo or pepper spray at UC Davis (or the mall)?

But I would have no objection to finding common purpose in honoring Ted Forstmann and Steve Jobs with a rebirth of American virtue aimed at health, education and employment,(in full measure for free for all three,) for everyone in this country from their cradle to the grave.

Such a rebirth of virtue would greatly benefit those who might enjoy good health, wisdom and work, it would also surround all others with people they wanted know.

Sartre said HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE. But he never said they were the only people in whose company he wanted to be.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  11/23/2011 06:25 PM Report

As we heard in September from Ethar El-Katatney, 'no one is above the law'. So the military must NOT be above the law with checks and balances already in place.

Naguib never did answer your question on how he is staying in business. He probably does have deep pockets or other sources of income.

By the way, how much is America spending on democracy in Egypt? How does this compare to what other countries are investing?

OLAN  11/23/2011 01:07 PM Report

Our prayers are with Mr. Sawiris.

REMant  11/23/2011 11:28 AM Report

This fellow has shown himself in the past to have a distinct point-of-view, which I am not sure is quite as liberal as he makes out, but certainly accords with Mr Rose's and no doubt the Obama administration's. The military, however, as I understand the situation, is in a good position to dominate society no matter who sits in parliament or the palace, and I can only think that they are concerned less with themselves than with responding to American-Israeli interest in keeping the fundamentalists out, thus the circumstances haven't really been changed by the "revolution" and the administration's position just as tenuous.