GVPT 200 Chapter May 7: Readings for May 7
7 May 2018
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International Relations: Readings for May 7th
• “Islamism, the Arab Spring, and the Failure of America’s Do-Nothing Policy in the
Middle East” by Shadi Hamid
o In 1992, the Algerian military cancelled elections when it seemed clear that an
Islamist party was going to win; the country plunged into a civil war that would
kill over 100,000.
o Seeing this, some Islamist parties in the Middle East lost elections on purpose in
order to avoid similar crackdowns.
o In 2005, despite winning 88 seats in the Egyptian parliament, the Mubarak regime
forbade the Muslim Brotherhood from claiming any of them. In 2013, the military
intervened to stop them when they came to power democratically following the
fall of the Mubarak government.
o One constant in Middle East affairs is the influence of foreign powers. When a
foreign power opts to remain disengaged (especially a powerful state such as
America), others will fill that void.
o The United States only expressed support for the Tunisian Revolution after Zine
al-Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.
o Foreign powers played influential roles in the Arab Spring; the Saudi military
intervened to crush the Bahraini Revolution and keep the ruling family in power.
▪ The United States made use of old ties between the American and
Egyptian military to pressure Mubarak’s soldiers to not fire upon
protesters.
o Egyptian protesters attacked Mubarak for being a “lackey” of the United States
and Israel; one protest chant claimed that Mubarak only understood Hebrew.
o The U.S. proposed or allocated only $2.2 billion to Arab Spring-affected
countries. In comparison, the U.S. committed $128 billion in today’s dollars
during the Marshall Plan.
o In the time leading up to the removal of Muslim Brotherhood politician Mohamed
Morsi of Egypt by the military, the U.S. failed to put any significant pressure on
the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
▪ While the U.S. felt that the military-led transition would facilitate
democratization, this did not happen. In June 2012, the military dissolved
parliament, reinstated martial law, and decreed a constitutional
amendment stripping the presidency of much of its power.
▪ Following the coup, the worst mass killing in Egypt’s modern history
occurred at Rabaa al-Adawiya, when Egyptian soldiers massacred Morsi
supporters near the town’s mosque. The killing was also among the worst
single-day massacres in recent decades anywhere in the world.
o The U.S. and the conservative kingdoms of the Gulf as well as others view
Islamist parties with suspicion.
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Document Summary
International relations: readings for may 7th: islamism, the arab spring, and the failure of america"s do-nothing policy in the. Middle east by shadi hamid: in 1992, the algerian military cancelled elections when it seemed clear that an. In 2013, the military intervened to stop them when they came to power democratically following the fall of the mubarak government: one constant in middle east affairs is the influence of foreign powers. When a foreign power opts to remain disengaged (especially a powerful state such as. In comparison, the u. s. committed billion in today"s dollars during the marshall plan: in the time leading up to the removal of muslim brotherhood politician mohamed. Morsi of egypt by the military, the u. s. failed to put any significant pressure on the supreme council of the armed forces: while the u. s. felt that the military-led transition would facilitate democratization, this did not happen.
