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AFP.
Egyptian tyrant Hosni Mubarak has been in power for nearly three decades and has aspirations for his son Jamal Mubarak - head of policy the ruling party National Democratic Party - to succeed him. All this explains his effort at pains to please Israel in recent years in order to win Washington's heart (and thus succession approval) which corrupt Arab regimes believe runs through Tel Aviv.
Thus far there has not been a credibly and popular Egyptian candidate strong enough to challenge Mubarak. Of course, the Egyptian regime has guaranteed that by suppressing dissent and limiting the list of candidates. But there is now one candidate whom may pose a credible threat to the Mubarak rule: Mohamed el-Baradei.
In 2005, el-Baradei won the Noble Peace Prize as head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and as such was celebrated as a national hero in Egypt. How times have changed.
Recently, after retiring from 12 years of service as head of IAEA; el-Baradei announced that if an honest election can be assured in Egypt he will run for president. Many Egyptians have long tired from their government and greeted the news with excitement - el-Baradei is not known for being corrupt and is a skilled individual. In December a Facebook support group was started up and within days had over 20,000 fans.
el-Baradei is committed to running, but the Egyptian regime will stop at nothing to undermine his chances and smear him:
He may be an American or even an Iranian agent, hint editorials in Egypt’s state-owned press. He bears a nasty grudge against his native country after so long abroad, grumble other government mouthpieces.Even to become a legal independent candidate, for instance, Mr ElBaradei would need to collect 250 signatures from a range of “elected” officials, all of whom happen to sit in bodies massively dominated by the NDP.
And recently the government has decided to ban any welcoming parties for el-Baradei:
Egypt is poised to ban any gatherings in Cairo to mark the planned return on Friday of former UN nuclear watchdog chief and potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei, security sources said.The 2005 Nobel laureate, who is expected to fly home on Friday afternoon, has repeatedly called for democratic change in Egypt since stepping down as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency in November.
Security sources told AFP that measures would be taken to prevent any "illegal demonstrations" by his supporters at Cairo airport.
Two members of opposition group the April 6 Movement, Ahmed Maher and Amr Ali, have already been arrested for organising a reception for ElBaradei and distributing leaflets encouraging people to attend, Egyptian media reported.
His victory seems implausible consider the corrupt and skewed nature of Egypt's hollow democracy. But if he were to win, it would be a great mark of progress in a the land of the Pharaohs.
