[sXVUOUVC]

Okay. Why should we care? The muslim brotherhood doesn't seem to have control over the military.

[secondmertg]

Morons.

[MormefWrarebe]

Ben Kenobi (June 24, 2012)

[DongoSab]

Jerusalem. Right. Good luck with that, boys.

[MeatteCen]

can we all get over projecting our own histories and cultures onto others now? Given what happened to Alexandria and Memphis? I don't see how anyone can argue that the dial in Egypt should stay stuck on Islam.

[HRCPda7R]

I'm perplexed. Why would a Muslim backed Egypt want their capital in Jerusalem? If it's the caliphate they are after, wouldn't they base their capital in Mecca?

Short answer:
1. Many Saudis fund and support the MB. First the hijab, then the burka.
2. The MB doesn't want to threaten the Saudis who sheltered their leadership during periods of repression.
3. The Islamist faith holds that Israel is itself a heresy and that it must be reclaimed. Jerusalem has some significance in the Islamic faith.

Mecca and the legitimacy of Saudi Arabia is an awkward issue the MB and the Saudis don't want to fight over yet. Israel is pure heresy--and an issue that animates the Arab-Muslim public. Politically, strategically, it's easier to concentrate on this rather than on doctrinal divisions. For now--this may change, but not until the MB actually achieves a more substantial foothold in Egypt.

Aside: Spengler of PJmedia notes that the MB is already establishing the beginning of a competing state structure.

The prevailing possibilities appear to be a power sharing deal or a violent stand off between the military, the MB and the Salafis or all of the above. Bring on the transition, Barack! Great work!

[surefireinvest]

Okay. Why should we care?

When they actually start declaring war, we can talk.

[icyfreshy]

I don't think that's really all that politicially astute. You've just taken over Egypt and you want to rule Egypt from Jerusalem? Egypt has quite a few of it's own problems, things that I don't see the MB addressing.

Seems to me it's just sabre-rattling, and bad sabre rattling at that. Plus you manage to piss off the Palestinians, and the Syrians, since the Syrians are certainly no friends to the Egyptians. I mean if Egypt wants to go full-on Jihadi it's going to royally piss off everyone invested in the status quo.

It's not been since whom? The Mamlukes? That Egypt has really pushed for something like this? That's a long time ago.

Can't believe I'm saying these words but.. I agree.

[aparneioninny]

Right, because it makes so much sense to wait until there are actually being shots fired to worry about something.

You could at least wait until civilian control of the military is established in Egypt before you start panicking about the possibility of Egypt attacking a country that has defeated Egypt before.

[Viyzarei]

Even an Islamist gov't wouldn't want the US to stop paying camp david money

[Aeaefee]

If your enemy is intent on hanging himself make sure to lend him your rope. You wouldn't want him to not have enough, right?

[gkihueonhjh]

Right, because it makes so much sense to wait until there are actually being shots fired to worry about something.

Yes, quickly, let's bomb them before shots are fired

[WeissVine]

Given the fact he wants to hang himself I would suggest a slight shortness of rope...

[rostpribru]

Because in an era of instant communication the location of your capital really matters for administrative purposes.

I'm not so sure. Don't you want a good local labor pool of qualified professionals to draw from? I'm sure Jerusalem has the necessary bureaucrats at present, but I think the whole plan is to Drive Them Into The Sea. They sure as hell wouldn't hire any of them, so the hypothetically-victorious Egyptians would have to transplant a big chunk of population to run their newly-enlarged country from their new capital. But that's something like the 85th-biggest problem with this whole cockamamie idea.