Clarion Fund and Florida Security Council Oppose Egyptian Pro-Democracy Movement

Neoconservatives have been visibly torn over how to respond to the rapidly developing situation in Egypt. On one hand, a popular uprising is calling for democratic reforms and threatens the authoritarian rule of an Arab dictator. But the Muslim Brotherhood’s likely role in whatever government comes after Hosni Mubarak seems a democratic threat to most neoconservatives. After all, there’s no guarantee that a democratically elected government in Egypt will be as cooperative in maintaining the siege on Gaza or continue diplomatic relations with Israel.

But the Clarion Fund, along with the Florida Security Council, appears to have taken their stand against the democratic uprising. An email from the Security Council’s Tom Trento hints at Iranian interference in Egypt’s anti-Mubarak uprising and warns, “America Do Not Be Fooled…”

It’s unclear whether the Clarion Fund was directly involved in this email but the email states that it is an invitation to an “Iranium” (see our review on Tehran Bureau) screening on behalf of the Florida Security Council and the Clarion Fund.

Of course this is an interesting position for Clarion to take (or associate themselves with), seeing as how “Iranium”–a documentary recently produced by Clarion– gives lip service to the Iranian Green Movement and to a democratic uprising in Iran. Are we to assume that Clarion and the Florida Security Council will oppose a democratic uprising in Iran that includes any Islamists? If so, perhaps it’s time they clarify their position on democratic movements in the Middle East and which variety will receive their stamp of approval.

An excerpt from the email reads:

EGYPT – WILL BE OURS!

AMERICA
DO NOT BE FOOLED…
THE MUSLIM UMMAH

SHIA’ – SUNNI – SALAFI – MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD

WILL UNITE TO DESTROY
AMERICA – ISRAEL – EUROPE
(THE WEST)

???
TUESDAY – FEBRUARY 8
COME SEE HOW IRAN PLANS TO LEAD THE
GLOBAL ISLAMIC REVOLUTION
???

The Florida Security Council and the Clarion Fund

invite you to the Florida Premiere of
Iranium
is a powerful documentary that exposes the threats
posed to America, Israel and the world by a nuclear Iran.

Eli Clifton

Eli Clifton reports on money in politics and US foreign policy. He is a co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Eli previously reported for the American Independent News Network, ThinkProgress, and Inter Press Service.

SHOW 8 COMMENTS

8 Comments

  1. Oh, before I get hammered for my last comment, I grant that the Safavid period in Persia and the early Moghul period in India were times of high cultural achievement. But since 1700 there’s been nothing much to speak of. What role did the Muslim world play in creating the Industrial Revolution, the evolution of democracy and human rights, the conquest of the air and outer space, or the advance of sciene generally since the 17th century? Islamic medicine led the world in the Middle Ages, but today? There’s just no denying that for several centuries the Islamic world has been in decline.

  2. Jon, Sweet Cheecks, if the Muslims handn’t preserved the writings of the Greeks, there would have been no Enlightenment. If the Muslims had not advanced mathematics, astronomy, medicine, there would have been no Industrial Revoluiton. If the Crusaders hadn’t brought back soap from the Muslim lands, you’d probably still be unwashed and painting yourself blue. And have a look at the economic growth numbers of Malaysia, Indonesia, India, with the world’s largest Muslim population, some of the Gulf states?
    Who’s your teach, that Huckabee fellow?

  3. “If the Muslims hadn’t preserved the writings of the Greeks, there would have been no Enlightenment.” I’m sure that’s right. And the Arabs saved mathematics for the West, too. But that was 1,000 years ago. Islamic civilization was certainly one of the most brilliant in history (though largely derivative of the Classical), but it’s been in decline for centuries. It has produced nothing outstanding during the so-called modern era. It’s irrelevant to the world civilization of today, and there’s no reason to believe it’s ever going to experience a renaissance.

    One of the best aspects of this blog is the opportunity to engage people with thoughts and opinions that go counter to my own. On the other hand, it’s pretty depressing sometimes to witness people countering arguments one never made. Is my prose that opaque, or are you shifting the argument because you can’t refute the point I actually made? It’s gotta be one or the other, Sweet Cheeks.

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