Friday 11 May 2012

Cognitive Dissonance in Egypt: they want the Saudi model, but "freedom" too...

From Pew Research "One Year Later, Egyptians Embrace Democracy, Islam in Political Life", there's this:
By a margin of 61% to 17%, Egyptians say Saudi Arabia is a better model than Turkey for the role of religion in government. 
But then there's also this:
However, most also endorse specific democratic rights and institutions that do not exist in Saudi Arabia, such as free speech, a free press, and equal rights for women.

What are these people thinking?  It just doesn't add up.  Saudi doesn't have any free speech, any freedom of the press or equal rights for women.
So what's left of the Saudi "model"?

The promotion of hate ideology in western mosques, as the Saudis do?
The funding of radical Madrassas, as the Saudi's do?
The killing of homosexuals, as the Saudi's do?
The prohibition of any other religion than Sunni Islam, as the Saudis do?
The killing of apostates, as the Saudis do?

Which part of the Saudi model do these 61% of representative Egyptian citizens think they should apply to Egypt? Whatever they are, I can't think of any that would give us comfort....
LATER: related:
"Facing the Islamist Menace", by Christopher Hitchens, January 2007
"Saudi Venom in US Mosques", Daniel Pipes, February 1, 2005