Egypt's Brotherhood picks presidential runner

[MindMover]

Source: AlJAZEERA

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is to field Khairat al-Shater, its former deputy chairman, as a candidate in May's presidential election, the group's party said on its Facebook page.

"The parliamentary bloc of the Freedom and Justice Party will nominate Khairat al-Shater as a candidate for the presidency," the FJP said on Saturday. The FJP is the political arm of the Brotherhood.

Al-Shater is a millionaire businessman, and was imprisoned for 12 years during Hosni Mubarak's rule - longer than any other Brotherhood member during Mubarak's rule.

The Brotherhood's supreme guide, Mohammed Badie, confirmed Shater's nomination in a news conference and read out a brief statement from Shater, who was not present.

"After it was decided to field my name in the presidential elections, I can only accept the decision of the Brotherhood," Shater's statement said.

"I will therefore resign from my position as deputy chairman."

Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/03/2012331191231210148.html

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Important news.....

[riderinthestorm]

1. Really important news! The Muslim Brotherhood promised to stay out of the elections

in order to keep the military and more liberal elements of Egyptian society from going crazy about political Islam's growing domination.

The liberal voices, women and religious minorities in the Arab Spring post-revolutionary countries have a lot to be worried about with the actions of the Islamists like MB. What a damn shame. ETA, the Muslim Brotherhood is specifically breaking it's promise by naming a candidate

[dipsydoodle]

2. So they broke their promise

stuff like that is pretty much universal.

[FarCenter]

3. They have half the seats in Parliament -- why wouldn't they run a candidate for president

It's all over for the liberals, women and religious minorities. They have no power.

[riderinthestorm]

4. Just repeating what the MB said they WOULDN'T do...

Here's another take on it from the NY Times

snip

Founded eight decades ago, the Brotherhood became the wellspring of political Islam around the world but remained illegal here until Mr. Mubarak’s exit. Its leaders, including Mr. Shater, initially vowed not to nominate a candidate for president for fear of provoking a military backlash against the sudden prospect of an Islamist takeover. They cited the example of the crackdown in Algeria 20 years ago after an Islamist victory there, which started a decade-long civil war.

snip


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/world/middleeast/brotherhood-chooses-a-candidate-in-egypt.html?_r=1


And I agree, the Arab spring revolutions have been a disaster for women, liberals and religious minorities almost universally. The MB jumping into the election after vowing to stay out is just another bad harbinger imho.