Editor's Note: Barak Barfi is a research fellow at the New America Foundation.
By Barak Barfi - Special to CNN
Egyptians go to the polls this week for the country’s final round of voting, but the results are a foregone conclusion. Islamists, who captured around 71% of the ballots cast in the first two phases of voting, have secured a majority in parliament.
The results have perplexed Western liberals, who are baffled at why voters have chosen parties advocating restricted freedoms. But the Islamists' adherence to religious values only partially explains their allure. The key to the Islamists’ success lies equally in their effective grass-roots campaigning, which gives voice to peoples' wide-spread grievances.
Islamists are the best organized political parties. In states where governments crack down on any form of organized dissent and civil society groups are virtually non-existent, the mosque is the sole refuge for political opponents of ruling regimes.
For decades, Islamists used the cover afforded by mosques to increase their outreach in society. Today those networks are tasked with educating voters about their parties and ensuring they get to the ballot box.
Their mobilization efforts largely mirror those in Western countries where grassroots groups campaign for candidates. In nations such as the United States, union members and evangelical Christians canvass neighborhoods on foot during election season. Just like their Western counterparts, Islamist campaign volunteers are die-hard believers. They are everywhere in nations like Egypt. When travelers descend from mini-buses, twelve-year-old boys greet them with flyers featuring local Islamist candidates and bullet-points listing their campaign program.
The Islamists are also “anti-establishment” candidates in countries where the long-ruling governments have failed to improve economic and social conditions. Egyptians have backed the Muslim Brotherhood largely because it opposed the former regime.
Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood boast that the organization has been an opposition party since its establishment in 1928. Its members speak proudly of the time they served in prison merely for being believing Muslims. By burnishing their opposition credentials, they are admired by a population that has nothing but disdain for the regimes that persecuted Islamists.
Emphasizing their long-term opposition status also highlights their political experience. Many Egyptians who voted for the Muslim Brotherhood party cite the organization’s long involvement in politics. In a country suffering from so many economic and social problems, the electorate seeks a veteran party with the skills to solve them.
Unlike the Muslim Brotherhood, the puritan Salafis from the al-Nour party, which captured approximately 24% percent of the vote in the first two rounds, are newcomers to the political scene. They have historically eschewed politics to concentrate on outreach programs to instill Islamic values in society.
Rather than focusing on political issues, Salafi candidates have emphasized religion. Because politicians have pilfered state coffers while failing to better the lot of their citizens, promoting an anti-political agenda resonates with the electorate. Al-Nour’s campaign rallies and literature accentuate the party’s disdain for traditional politics and the deception and duplicity that accompanies it.
Because they seek to demonstrate that they can govern a country as large and important as Egypt, Salafis have sought to present Islam and politics as intricately bound. At most rallies they note that the Prophet Muhammad composed the first constitution almost 1,400 years ago in Medina.
The Al-Nour party of Salafis has been especially successful in impoverished areas where the uneducated look to their mosque preacher for guidance. When the party speaks of the religious concepts that every Arab learns as a child, they resonate more with the average man than sophisticated discussions of economic subsidies, which are beyond their grasp.
But it is not merely the underprivileged who support the Salafis. At one of their rallies, the owner of a clothing factory who employs four hundred workers told this writer that his support for al-Nour does not stem from his knowledge of their candidates or political program, but rather because they speak for Islam. In a country where the majority of the population is pious, it is the Islamists who know how to tap into this religious wellspring and cultivate it for political gain.
In an election where thirty six new parties were formed since the revolution, few in Egypt can identify the thousands of candidates or explain their political program. They chose what they know - Islam.
In a country with no democratic experience, the campaign was not about concrete political issues. As a result, the electorate voted for symbols and slogans rather than political programs.
Islamists emphasized that they speak for God and His Prophet, the two most powerful points of reference in the Muslim constellation. They emphasized the striking contrast between the purity of Islam and the corruption of secular politicians in Egypt since independence.
By dominating the first round of elections, Egypt’s Islamists have demonstrated that they know how to run successful campaigns. Whether they can actually govern remains to be seen.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of Barak Barfi.
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The Al-Nour party of Salafis doesn't get much votes in governorates like Red Sea, Luxor and Aswan, which depend heavily on tourism, which is Egypt's main source of national income, employing several millions.
The economy is already under strain and the Islamist groups don't know how to handle the problem due to their uneasy view of tourism.
The tourists bring not only foreign currency.
They spread also conflicting and un-Islamic values.
The word Freedom is old Arm Mr America which had been used against Soviet union . It will not work against Islamist . As we need to get freedom against American Imperialism . If we take America as a person ,then he is most corrupted , dishonest , robber , arrogant and thief . First amend your loose character then talk about Freedom .
As an american, you make many valid points.. We need to get out of the near east. We attack 5 Muslim countries and then are surprised to find out they think it is a religious war!
The voting was not honest period. SCAF meant for it to go to the Islamists to force the secular Egyptians to throw themselves in the army's arms and accept a continuance of the past 60 years of military oppression and rule.
you dummy, it was the oppression by the egyptian goverment sponsered by the usa. isreal will see yhese weapons in the future, good job usa. no wonder they hate us over there.
You are obviously an idiot!
Good morning, Schmuck.
The group said 69,000 people have been detained over a-nine month period and more than 6,800 people have died, including more than 600 by "torture."
"Of the 69,000 detained since March, over 37,000 people remain in detention and about 32,000 people have been released, many of them bearing scars from torture and violence," Avaaz said. The group said it confirms deaths or arrests with "three independent sources, including a family member of the deceased and, in the case of a death, the imam who performed the funeral procession."
THE RECENT ATTACK IN IRAQ CAME AFTER MOQTADA AL QATHER AND HIS MAHDI MILITIA THUGS WORN ANOTHER SHIIA THUGS CALLED ASYEB AHEL AL HAQ , THOSE ASYEB ARE GROUP OF THUGS BACKED BY IRAN SEPERATED FROM MOQTADA AL QATHER, NOW THE 2 FRACTION ARE SCORING AND KILLING EACH OTHER AND ATTACKING CIVILIANS AND BLAMING THE SUNNIS , IT WILL KNOWN IN IRAQ THAT THOSE 2 GROUPS KILLED MANY CIVILIANS THAN USA DID.....THEY ARE EVIL SHIIA THUGS TRYING TO CONTROL IRAQ, AL SADDER GROUP ARE IN SADDER CITY AND NASREYA WHERE THE ATTACK TOOK PLACE FEW DAYS AFTER SADDER WORN AL KHAZALY AND ASYEB AL HAQ SO THEY DID THIS TO SHOW HM THEY MEAN WAR. USA MUST STOP IRAN , MUST GET RED OF NORI AL MALEKI IF THEY WANT TO SEE PEACE IN IRAQ.
;;;;;;MUSLIMS ARE EVIL AND SHIIA ISLAM TAKE THE CAKE
MUSLIMS ARE EVIL LIKE KILLING...................MUBARAK ORDER TO SHOOT THOSE THUGS WHO RA.....PE CIVILIANS AND STOLE THE STORES ....SAME AS THE EVIL MUSLIMS IN LIBYA WHO KILLED RA..........PED AND TORTURED THE LEADER THEN ASK THE PEOPLE TO TAKE PICTURES FOR HIS DEAD BODY!! THEN BARY HIM IN SECRET !? IS THIS IS ISLAM ? WHERE IS THE DIGNITY OF HUMAN BEEN YOU EVIL, SO SHAME USA ARE HELPING THOSE EVIL
Most comments are idiotic on this topic. First get it through your thick skull if Muslims could get away with it they would kill all non-Muslims in a day. How can I say this statement? Take all 55 the majority Islamic countries and you will find a reduction of minorities of 90% over the past decade. That is astounding! They have eliminated over time trough forced conversion, murder and making it so difficult that minorities had to run for their life 90% of minorities. This has 0% do to with the USA and 100% to due with the harsh reality of Islam. Second mith is that if they only get a less corrupt government all will be well. A religious Islamic country with no oil resources will always be poor. Why? Because they have 10 children and spend their time 5 times a day in mosque praying. Every generation is dividing 10 times the nothing the previous generation had. In the old times having 10 kids was fine since many died by the age of 23 and the world economy was 75% agriculture.
HEZBOLLAH TEAM FROM LEBANON SYRIA AND IRAQ , ALONG WITH AL MAHDI MILITIA FROM IRAQ AND ASYEB AHEL AL HAQ FROM IRAQ WITH SUPPORT OF IRAN BEHIND SYRIAN ATTACK ON CIVILIANS THAT KILL 26, SYRIAN GOVERNMENT ALREADY KILLED 7200 SUNNI AND KURD AND PUT 132000 IN PRISON AND TORTURED 13000 M RAP,.....ED MORE THAN 4000 SUNNI WOMEN THOSE MILITIA THUGS ARE WORSE THAN SERBIAN ARMY , WHERE IS USA WHEN WE NEED THEM!!!///
Christian Egyptians are scare to go to vote and to run for an elected position. I believe if there were Christian leaders -really in power- in the government, most of the atrocities, discrimination and violence related to Islam could disappear or greatly diminish. There are NO MODERATE Islamists, it is better to call them NON-PRACTICING MUSLIMS, if they were practicing Muslims, they would followed Mohammed' immoral, cruel, merciless, violent conduct.
جيفري فيلتمان نائب وزيرة الخارجية الأمريكية يؤكد اَن قادة العراق السياسيين قادرون على تدارك الازمة الراهنة في البلاد من دون اية مساعدة خارجية
نبيل العربي يحذر من القضاء على فرص تحقيق مصالحة حقيقية في العراق ويندد بتفجيرات الخميس الدامية
رئيس اقليم كردستان العراق يشدد على ان الاكراد لن يشاركوا في اي حكومة قائمة على اساس تهميش المكونات العراقية الاخرى
البارزاني يحذر من انه في حال إستمرت المشاكل السياسية ولم يجد الائتلاف الحاكم برئاسة المالكي حلولا سريعة فإن الاكراد سيقيّمون كل الاحتمالات
وكلاء المرجع الديني محمد صادق الصدر في النجف يحذرون من مغبة دخول عصائب أهل الحق في العملية السياسية ويتهموها بممارسة القتل حتى اليوم
وكلاء المرجع الديني محمد صادق الصدر في النجف يحذرون من مغبة دخول عصائب أهل الحق في العملية السياسية ويتهموها بممارسة القتل حتى اليوم
دبي-الشرقية 7 يناير: حذر عددٌ من وكلاءِ المَرجع الديني مُحمد محمد صادق الصدر في النجف من مغبةِ دخول ِ عصائب أهل الحق في العمليةِ السياسيةمشيرين إلى أن العصائبَ ارتكبت جرائمَ ومازالت تقتل وتُشرد وتُساوم وتَبتز.وقال عددٌ من وكلاء وطلبةِ السيد محمد الصدر في بيان ان الحديثَ عن المقاومة ومواجهةِ القوات المحتلة بعيدٌ كلَ البعد عن عصائبِ أهل الحق وأفعالِها وان العراقيين لن يَنسوْا ما فعلته العصائب من جرائمَ ومازالت تفعل من قتل ٍ وتشريدٍ ومساومة ووصفوهم بأنهم حية ٌ مَلمسُها ناعمٌ وسُمُها قاتل.. واتهم البيان العصائبَ بقتل ِ عددٍ من منتسبي الأجهزة الأمنية في النجف والديوانية بحجةِ حُرمةِ الانتماء فضلا على تنفيذِ 5337 عملية ً استهدفوا فيها الأبرياءَ بضمنِها اغتيالُ النائب عن الكتلة الصدرية صالح العكيلي.
USA, UK, FRANCE, GERMANY THE NATO must attack Iran now before it is too late.
USA must help mojahedi khalq opposition group who are stationed in Iraq,. help the Iranian Kurds up north more than 7 million Kurds in Iran, help Arabestan Sunni region in Iran with more than 9 million Sunni who are repressed by those evil Iranians, help the Assyrian christens in Iran, the Iranians Turks blossh, and many other repressed minorities , Isolate Iran, freeze their assets, also embargo china and Russia \if the deal with them, destroy their electronic by viruses, don't allow them to come to USA AND CANADA , ATTACK THE TERRORISTS HEZBOLLAH AND SYRIAN BASHAR AL KALAB THE EVIL HANDS OF Iran IN THE REGION. Iran is a paper tiger as soon as the tomohak start flying and get red of their command and control their navy peace and the radars then the sky is control by USA make it 24 hours non stop hit until the surrender attack them, from turkey, Afghanistan the gulf, the red sea the Arabian sea and the Arabian gulf. If Obama attack Iran he will win the election too.Help Iraqi Sunni to counter attack the Iranians group in Iraq, the world will be in peace with our those majoos thugs and the dark evil empire of Iran must demise.
IRAN NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,
IRAN IS WEAL THEY ARE PAPER TIGER,
ISRAEL CAN HANDEL THE TERRORIST OGINIZATION HIZBOALLAH, THATS WHY WE MUST GET RED OF BASHAR AL ASAD OF SYRIA NOW.
IRAN HAS SO MANY ENEMY
TURKEY, SUNNI ARABS, SUNNI KURDS, THE IRAQI KURDS, IRAQI TURKS, BELOOSH, IRAN CHRISTEANS, IRAN KURDS, MOJAHEDI KHALQ ARMY, ARABESTAN, PERSIAN MOVMENTS, THE BAHAI, AND MORE THAN 15 OTHER GROUP, WE MUST HELP ALL THOSE GROUPS WITH WEAPON AND MONEY, THE ATTACK MUST GO 24 HOURS A DAY NON STOP AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NIGHT, WE CAN DESTROY THE NAVY AND THE COMMAND AND CONTROL IN NO TIME, HELP IRAQ SUNNI TO STOP THE EVIL HIZBOALLAH IN BOITH SIDES...WE CAN DO IT أفادت اليوم الاثنين تقارير إعلامية.
وذكر مصدر إعلامي إيراني نقلا عن المتحدث باسم السلطة القضائية غلام حسين محسني إيجي قوله إن حكم الإعدام صدر بحق أمير ميرزا حكمتي (28عاما) لتعاونه مع الحكومة الأميركية "المعادية" والتجسس لصالح الاستخبارات الأميركية والسعي إلى ربط إيران بـ "الإرهاب".
وأضاف المصدر أن النيابة العامة أعلنت أن الحكم نقل إلى محامي الدفاع الذي بإمكانه تقديم استئناف.
وأشارت وكالة فارس للأنباء إلى أن حكمتي مثل بقاعة المحكمة ووجهت إليه الاتهامات بشكل رسمي وأجاب عن جميع أسئلة القاضي، واعترف بجميع التهم ومن بينها محاولة اختراق الأجهزة الأمنية، وقال إنه تعرض لعملية خداع من الأميركيين.
إدانة
وقد أدان البيت الأبيض الأميركي حكم الإعدام مؤكدا أن الاتهامات التي سيقت ضد أمير ميرزا حكمتي "خاطئة".
وأعلن المتحدث باسم مجلس الأمن القومي تومي فيتور أن بلاده ستتحقق من الأمر، وستعمل على "نقل إدانتنا" إلى الحكومة الإيرانية عبر شركائها.
من جانبه نفى والد حكمتي المقيم فى ديترويت بالولايات المتحدة أي صلة لابنه بالاستخبارات الأميركية، وذكر أنه كان يعمل مترجما بالجيش الأميركي وعندما ألقي القبض عليه كان في زيارة لجدته بإيران.
يُذكر أن حكمتي إيراني الأصل، وهو من مواليد ولاية أريزونا الأميركية وتم اعتقاله في ديسمبر /كانون الأول الماضي، وقد ذكرت وزارة الاستخبارات الإيرانية أنه تلقي تدريبا في قواعد أميركية بكل من أفغانستان والعراق المجاورين.
وقد كانت للقضاء الإيراني سوابق في إصدار أحكام قاسية على من يدينهم بالتجسس، لكنه كان يعود ليلغي الحكم وعادة ما ينتهي الأمر بالسماح للمحكومين بالعودة إلى بلادهم.
SEE THE ALJAZEERA.NET REGARDING usa army urinating on a dead muslim people , and then usa say they are respecting human right!!!!1 and if others urinate on usa army usa call them barberians!??? why this hipocricy?
فضيحة أخلاقية جديدة للجنود الأميركيين
مارينز يتبولون على جثث أفغان
بيان سلاح المارينز قال إن هذا الفعل لا يتفق مع قيم الأميركيين ولا أخلاق المارينز
(الفرنسية-يوتيوب)
أظهر شريط فيديو نشر على موقع اليوتيوب بشبكة الإنترنت أربعة عسكريين يرتدون الزي العسكري الأميركي وهم يتبولون على جثث ثلاثة عناصر من حركة طالبان الأفغانية.
وفي أجزاء من الشريط ظهر الجنود الأربعة الذين قالت مشاة البحرية الأميركية (المارينز) إنها تشتبه بأنهم أميركيون، وهم يقومون بفعلتهم تلك على الجثث التي غطتها الدماء، وينظرون إلى الكاميرا مدركين أن صاحبها يصورهم.
وقال أحدهم مازحا "أتمنى لك يوما لطيفا يا صديقي"، في إشارة إلى الجثث التي كانوا يتبولون عليها، بينما أضاف آخر كلاما بذيئا.
وقال المارينز -سلاح النخبة في الجيش الأميركي- في بيان أمس الأربعاء إنه فتح تحقيقا في الشريط- الذي صور كما يبدو في إحدى العمليات العسكرية في أفغانستان- مؤكدا أنه لم يتحقق بعد من مصدره أو صحته.
وأضاف أن تلك الأفعال "لا تتفق أبدا مع قيم الأميركيين ولا تمثل المارينز" الذي ينتشر منه حوالي 20 ألف جندي في أفغانستان، غالبيتهم في ولايتي قندهار (جنوب) وهلمند (جنوب غرب).
وبدوره، قال المتحدث باسم وزارة الدفاع (البنتاغون)، الكابتن البحري جون كيربي إنه شعر بالغثيان لدى رؤية الشريط، وأضاف "مهما كانت ظروف هذا الفيديو أو أشخاصه فإنه سلوك مقزز ووحشي وغير مقبول لأي شخص يرتدي الزي العسكري".
إدانة
من جهة أخرى، أدان مجلس العلاقات الإسلامية الأميركية انتهاك حرمة الجثث، وذلك في رسالة إلى وزير الدفاع الأميركي ليون بانيتا.
وقال المجلس في الرسالة -التي أرسلت نسخة منها لوسائل الإعلام- "يجب معاقبة أي أطراف مذنبة بأقصى حد يسمح به القانون الموحد للقضاء العسكري والقوانين الأميركية ذات الصلة".
وأضافت المنظمة أن هذا السلوك يمثل خرقا لقواعد الجيش الأميركي ولقوانين الحرب التي تحظر مثل هذه الأفعال غير الأخلاقية والمقززة، وأعربت عن أملها بأن يكون التحقيق شفافا.
ويأتي الشريط الجديد ليعيد إلى الأذهان صور جنود في الجيش الأميركي نشرت قبل شهور وكشفت عنها أسبوعية "دير شبيغل" الألمانية وهم يلهون بجثث مدنيين أفغان قتلوهم دون مبرر.
كما أنه يعيد إلى الأذهان أيضا فضيحة ممارسة التعذيب في سجن أبو غريب العراقي عام 2004 التي أثارت موجة احتجاجات دولية.
وجاء هذا الشريط في وقت حرج تسعى فيه واشنطن إلى تعزيز المصالحة في أفغانستان مع قيام القوات الأميركية بالانسحاب تدريجيا من البلاد.
ومن المقرر أن يزور السفير الأميركي مارك جروسمان أفغانستان وقطر الأسبوع القادم لإجراء مباحثات مع الحكومتين الأفغانية والقطرية.
in libya they killed the leader a muslim after torturing him and urinate on him then they put his body on the floor and ask other stupid muslims to take pictures of the dead body!? is this ISLAM!? THIS EVIL BEHAVIOUR ROOTED IN them and then when USA marines urinate on the muslims bodies they say oohhhhh NO you cant do that!? what a hipocrits.
IRAN IS HELPING THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION HEZBOLLAH WHICH 100 TIME WORSE THAN AL QAEDA, IRAN THUGS ARE HELPING SYRIA MINORITY GOVERNMENT WITH MONEY AND WEAPONS M IRAN PAY RUSSIA THE MONEY AND RUSSIAN EVIL EMPIRE BRINGING THE WEAPONS TO SYRIAN SEA PORT,,,,IRAN HELPING IRAQI SHIIA THUGS TO KILL CHRISTEAN'S AND OTHERS, THEY ALSO DESTROYING LEBANON BAHRAIN YEMEN AND HAMAS.....THEY ARE EVIL CULT
, WORSE THAN HITLER..WE MUST ACT NOW, RON PAUL IS THE VILLAGE IDIOT IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NO BETTER THAN THIS HALF MUSLIM PRESIDENT ( OBAMA), IRAN DO HAVE WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND WHEN THEY HAVE WORSE THEY WILL USE IT THEY ALREADY MENTIONED THAT ON TV AND IN THE UN GO READ AHMEDI NEJAD SPEECH IN THE UN..... NOW IRAN HELPING CHINA AND THE COMMUNIST VENEZUELA REGIMES...AND EVEN EXPANDING TO AFRICA OPENING SAFE HOUSES UNDER PRAYERS PLACES CALLED HUSAYNIA..!!!THOSE EVIL WILL NEVER STOP UNTIL THEY DESTROY EVERY GOOD IN THIS EARTH......EVIL CAN SMILE AND LIE EVIL CAN SHOW YOU HE IS GOOD...DONT BE FOOL. WORLD PEACE , IRAN DONT HAVE PEACE IN THEIR DICTIONARY.