Ever since the end of his term as the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reformists have been waiting for Nobel Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei to assert himself as a figure for change in Egypt. That moment seems finally to be coming.
Though something of a late-comer to the protest movement, ElBaradei has now been tapped to be the chief spokesman and negotiator for the nation’s opposition, and has been supported not just by his predictable reformist allies, but the Muslim Brotherhood as well.
Nearly a week before the protests had fully come together, ElBaradei was warning of the possibility but declining to support Tunisia-style protests, and even when the protests began in earnest he declined to take part until Friday, when he was quickly placed under house arrest.
Somehow this seems to have brushed aside all of the popular annoyance at ElBaradei’s previous reticence about a revolt and given him the gravitas to speak for the entire, broad-based protest movement.
ElBaradei could be extremely valuable to the protesters in this position, with his existing international reputation. Perhaps the even more interesting question is if this role will enable ElBaradei to catapult himself into the frontrunner position for a new leader, if Egypt ends up with free elections.
ElBaradei is a New World Order puppet, the Muslim Brotherhood will turn on him quicky.
Agreed- from here on out, those in power in ANY Middle Eastern nation need to be careful about how they are perceived by the man on the street. Kowtowing to any foreign nation is going to be seen as a sign of weakness, and that is something people do not want to see in their leaders- and those leaders now know their people WILL act accordingly and hold them accountable.
How much better does a politician or public representative function when he knows he's personally accountable for the discharge of his official duties? Add to that the current trope of angry-mobs-with-torches-and-pitchforks coming to remove you from office and you can bet those elected officials will be toeing the line pretty closely from here on out.
Oh, and a hint: Being subservient to the US or Israel is probably not a very good idea right now, no matter how much one or both may be paying you under the table.