Issues & Experts >
Issues & Experts Archive > Erupting Egypt
Erupting Egypt
Document Tools
January 28, 2011
Eyes on Egyptian chaos
Protesters have set fire to Egypt’s ruling party headquarters as the country’s military has been sent out to back up police in the streets of Cairo amid mounting unrest over high unemployment and poverty. Crowds continue to flood streets in Cairo and other Egyptian cities demanding President Hosni Mubarak step down. Protests are also planned outside embassies in eastern Canada today. Tamir Moustafa, an associate professor in SFU International Studies, is available to talk about the situation as it continues to develop today and over the weekend.
Tamir Moustafa, 604.771.1379 (cell); tmoustafa@sfu.ca
SFU political scientist Alex Moens’ analyses the United States’ take on world affairs, especially its views on the spread of Islamic fundamentalism. Moens says, given that Egypt is one of the oldest hotbeds of Sunni Islamism, “the potential collapse of Egypt’s relatively stable military regime poses a real threat to the United States. A half decent military dictatorship in a state known for Islamic fanaticism is far more reassuring for the Americans than having a Muslim brotherhood takeover wreak violence, death and destruction.”
Alex Moens, 778.782.4361; moens@sfu.ca
Andre Gerolymatos, an SFU international security expert, shares Moens’ view. “The primary arbiters of power in Egypt are the military - who historically have launched coups and installed dictators - and the Muslim brotherhood, that represent the extreme religious movement from which al-Qaeda has sprung. What will happen in Egypt will depend to what degree the extreme Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the officer of the army.”
Andre Gerolymatos, 778.782.5597, 604.778.2712 (cell); andre_gerolymatos@sfu.ca
Protesters have set fire to Egypt’s ruling party headquarters as the country’s military has been sent out to back up police in the streets of Cairo amid mounting unrest over high unemployment and poverty. Crowds continue to flood streets in Cairo and other Egyptian cities demanding President Hosni Mubarak step down. Protests are also planned outside embassies in eastern Canada today. Tamir Moustafa, an associate professor in SFU International Studies, is available to talk about the situation as it continues to develop today and over the weekend.
Tamir Moustafa, 604.771.1379 (cell); tmoustafa@sfu.ca
SFU political scientist Alex Moens’ analyses the United States’ take on world affairs, especially its views on the spread of Islamic fundamentalism. Moens says, given that Egypt is one of the oldest hotbeds of Sunni Islamism, “the potential collapse of Egypt’s relatively stable military regime poses a real threat to the United States. A half decent military dictatorship in a state known for Islamic fanaticism is far more reassuring for the Americans than having a Muslim brotherhood takeover wreak violence, death and destruction.”
Alex Moens, 778.782.4361; moens@sfu.ca
Andre Gerolymatos, an SFU international security expert, shares Moens’ view. “The primary arbiters of power in Egypt are the military - who historically have launched coups and installed dictators - and the Muslim brotherhood, that represent the extreme religious movement from which al-Qaeda has sprung. What will happen in Egypt will depend to what degree the extreme Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the officer of the army.”
Andre Gerolymatos, 778.782.5597, 604.778.2712 (cell); andre_gerolymatos@sfu.ca