16/5/2012

For whom to vote?

To achieve the objectives that matter most to supporters of a civil state, such as the non-radicalization of religion and the protection of Copts and women rights, Amr Moussa and Ahmed Shafiq should reflect on the consequences of their both running for president. With both of these leading secular candidates in the race, the liberal and nationalist vote will inevitably be split between them.

Recent statistics indicate that Moussa has the better chance, while some observers say that the ratings of Shafiq have risen significantly. Regardless, the situation would be tragic if neither of them won because the liberal vote was split and the presidency ceded to the Muslim Brotherhood or Salafi candidate. This outcome would be quite worrisome for a large segment of our society.

The solution

In spite of Amr Moussa’s current lead, I believe the top priority among Egyptians is to save our economy from collapse. This is closely linked to our ability to restore security to our streets, a feat that will require the skills of a president who is experienced in the country’s internal affairs.

So, we have Commander Shafiq, who demonstrated his abilities as minister of civil aviation by restructuring EgyptAir and modernizing our airports’ management and infrastructure. In achieving this, he proved himself to be not only a leader, but also a business-savvy manager and a team player. I would be remiss if I neglected to mention that Shafiq was a senior fighter pilot during the October 1973 War before becoming commander of the Egyptian Air Force.

Then, we have our foreign policy giant, Mr. Amr Moussa, whose bold initiatives and opposition to the former regime caused his removal from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and transfer to the Arab League’s general secretariat. On a personal level, Amr Moussa has innate intelligence and charisma.

At this particular time, what we need is a president who can reform the security and police forces and see to it that discipline prevails. With all due respect, I would hope that Amr Moussa, despite his popularity in the polls, might respond to the needs of the country by withdrawing from the race and backing Ahmed Shafiq.

If Amr Moussa were to step down in support of Ahmed Shafiq, I believe that Moussa would be remembered as a national hero who sacrificed his ambition for the sake of Egypt. Of course, for the same good of the country, Shafiq might decide to leave the race in favor of Amr Moussa. Still, it is my belief that Commander Shafiq would be the best president for Egypt under the present circumstances.

translated from Al-Akhbar