User talk:Jean-jacques Muzani Dimueni

The influence of Radical Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt Foreign Policy
1.	Introduction

The determination of Foreign Policy depends on domestic factors and the policy of environment beyond the borders of a country. A specific case in our concern is the Egypt with the influence of Muslim brotherhood. Before all, it is better to note that influence in politic is an impact that can have a group, a government or nation to coerce others or affect their policies. The brotherhood is an organization created in Egypt in 1928 to defend the interest of Muslim and apply Shariah as the basic law through the restoration of Islamic state called Khalifat. Foreign policy is, as Landsbeg(2007: 250), a purposive or goal-oriented course action, pursued by decision-makers of a state, based on sets of social values, to solve problems on matters of public concern, on the basis of clear goals to be achieved. We are going to show the influence that the Muslim brotherhood makes on Egyptian government in foreign policy decision making. The aim on this work is to consider the impact of this movement deployed around the world, and which goals concern now every Muslim countries and the finality is a common outcome. Egypt as a strategic country in the Middle-East has an important role to play. The foreign policy of regional countries depend partially to Egypt`s view. Indeed, using a critical evaluation of the importance of radical Muslim brotherhood, we will show the origin of this movement from religious bases. It will follow the level of difficulties that has Egyptian government to establish freely its foreign policy. But, the aim is the weight of religious obligation in Egyptian political life and history. Then, if the brotherhood is a domestic constraint in Egyptian foreign policy decision-making, the simple fact to demonstrate how much does it matter and how does the government consider the brotherhood. Finally, into the public policy of the country, we will found out the major challenges on Egyptian foreign policy and external facts that matter directly with the radical Muslims brotherhood.

2.	The koranic origin of radical brotherhood

As it is usual in the political life of muslin nations, the identification of all social practices has its explanation in the content of the sacred book; the Koran. In fact, Muslims do not mark a distinction between religious life and the rest of life. For this reason, they find a justification for sustainability in the religion of any organization in any form of life. This approach aims to unite all the things in Allah as the source and master of everything. In other words, all aspects of life should in no case be separated from the purpose of their reality. They must be united or more oriented towards Allah within whom they have their meaning.

This union refers to the rule of Islam which is coordinate from a spiritual, moral, political, social and intellectual structure. This explains the famous process of Islamization. It mean, the routing and identification of all aspects in the Koran constitutes a requirement to please God. However, the means chosen to achieve those objectives are sometimes more stringent than the teaching of values contained in the Koran. The means advocated respondent, according to some Muslims, at the evolution of the world situation and events that people nursing face. It will be good to bring the holy war as a ground of Military campaigns conducted in the past through Europe, Asia and Africa by Muslim. The two major world religions, Islam and Christian have long lived in tensions around Jerusalem, the holy city for Christians and transform into Islamic earth after a serious Muslim conquest. In this regard, the justification their methodology is directly linked to the Islamic law of purity. It is the Shariah. For identification of the unity of God in all things, there is no separation between religion and politics. This intrinsic link is contained in the doctrine of Shariah which is a code of religious law that provide guidance for the daily duties to all Muslim. The shariah become therefore the official political and governmental law. It covers the many of the daily and simple activities that everybody makes. The Shariah then regularize its simple operations in depth by defining the principles of daily purity, social justice, the rules of conflict and the holy war or jihad. The Muslim brotherhood uses that principle to look after government and require a politics of conformism from Egyptian government. Islamic politics is directed through the creation of an Islamic state within which the principles of management are based on the light of Quran. That is the mother idea that the Muslim use to justify their political behavior. At the international level, this argument does not find a easy acceptance from other countries. Basically, there are so many reasons that qualify the behavior of Muslims brotherhood as intolerance. Beyond this, opinions are divided on the interpretation of the Koran because some do not use violent methods to get people to believe. So the radical Muslim brotherhood remain the current socio-political Islamists that advocate violence view of establishment of Islamic state in every land

3.	 Difficulties of Foreign Policy decision-making

Radical Muslim Brotherhood was born from the offense that the faithful have discovered by reading events such that they were happening during great political moments in their history. It is a sort of dissatisfaction of the differences in political practice and organization of public life. Generally, analysts think that this movement comes from the belief of aggression to Koran principles by colonialists. That produced a contempt sentiment from foreign occupation in Egypt. Despite the fact that Egypt is the unique country in Africa that has existed since centuries before Jesus Christ, in 1798 Emperor Napoleon led a conquest until he submitted Egypt to colonial service. Muslims consider that all this time was bad because it was marked by the exclusion of Shariah from the ordinary life of population. The country became a lay nation. Muslims considering this as an abomination will vote against the liberalization of the alcohol, prostitution. It is thus that Muslim brotherhood will arise for the restoration of the Islamic state. Since then, the succession of power in Egypt greatly contributes to edification of the movement whose impact has won the world. Indeed, the Muslim Brotherhood was founded in 1928 as a modern form of political and ideological activism. His representative today exceeds 70 nations in all continents. Specialists arrived to identify the two main objectives of the movement which are: to establish the Islamic Shariah as a source and fundamental principle of political and religious government through the supervision of the state and society. The second is to liberate Muslim lands from foreign domination that mean from the imperialism of non-Muslim powers. Some targets have been identified as secondary because they may hold good in relation to the former. The Muslim brother understands this fight as a way to erect individual, family, society and the Muslim state through islamization. Egypt stills a country majority Muslims but not an islamist state. Mandaville(2007: 149) clarify it like: `when we talk about islamist states we are talking about a rather different situation, one in which the nature of the state and the political order is defined in Islamic terms. While the constitution of a number of countries (among them Egypt and Tunisia) mention Islam as the religion of state or the official religion, this does not in and of itself qualify these nations as having an Islamic state`.

In Egypt, the activation of the Muslim Brotherhood has been supported by the policy of Nasser who seeks to reclaim the Egypt to Muslims. This policy finds its contradiction to the advent of El-Sadat who carried opening the country to foreign relation with United States and Western Europe. Sadat used a strategy which gone against Muslims brother need. He starts collaboration with Israel. He went beyond the mistrust of Western powers by Egyptian. His foreign policy was qualified dangerous until the time of his assassination. President Mubarak has about will only play the geopolitical balance to keep the power of Egypt in the Arab region. These significant moments have contributed greatly to the balance of power in the country by weakening or increasing it. But, nowadays Egypt is the first power of the Middle East given its strategic location between three continents and its economic importance. The nation state is a major military power in the region and is incontestably mediating conflicts that engage other countries to America or Europe. For that input, Egypt is well considered by European powers as it is said during a meeting in Cairo in March 2009: ` The members of the participating European delegation outlined that Egypt is the only country in the region to hold these deliberations with, as the European side recognizes its importance and effectiveness on both regional and international arenas`(internet sources).

4.	The radical brotherhood as domestic constraints in foreign policy decision-making

Our Foreign Policy court took large proportions retailer domestic constraints foreign policy in decision-making. Indeed, the policy of a nation mostly seeks as well by regional conflicts than by local requirements can only depend on a serious discernment. With this, the Egyptian regime is willing to consider the Muslim factor in the direction of its foreign policy even locally there are many groups of brotherhood. According to Cottan(2001: 67): `the picture of different groups of brotherhood suggests some sharps defenses in worldwide view, in judgments of Egyptian political personalities, and in foreign policy preferences`. And again, the radical Muslim constitutes a determinant factor in monitoring the application of Islamic law through the activities of the country. This order creates a way of proceeding that can in no way claim of s away from such a national vision that she has kept by the radical movement. Because if Egyptian government acts like that, it will be a treachery deal and there will be more attack against the religion of State by western values.

Now, it will be discussed to show the challenges of the Egyptian foreign policy. Secondly, the quest will be to explain the tricks that the ideology of radical Muslims draws the benefit of the Islam. Finally, the expose will underline how the Muslims brotherhood constitutes a form of threat to the Egyptian government. This set will be listed in order to clarify all the possibilities that exploit Egyptian authority in making foreign policy. Remember that this policy over the region of Middle East and the various forms of attack that has taken shape through the Islam and specifically in the connection between the Muslim Brotherhood and international terrorist movements like Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Basque and so many others. Much more, the Egypt`s multiple interest in the world throughout its role at different stages.

To begin, it should be noted that several governments, especially American, British and Spanish perceive into the Muslim Brotherhood the kernel of international terrorist groups. It is from the coordination of the movement. But also, by the various pronouncements of its leaders, the movement was accused of training and support groups working with the countries of the `axis of evil` under the terms of the former U.S. President George W. Bush after the attacks on the twin towers of World Trade Center in 2001. Today, the brotherhood has many small group in the world as Mandaville(2007: 86) adds: `the distinction between the Muslims brotherhood as an organizational entity and the brotherhood as tendency as a more generic current within contemporary Islamic thought and social activism. Even groups not formally affiliated with the brotherhood have been strongly influenced by its analysis and solution for social refer` a. Major challenges in Egyptian Foreign Policy decision-making The current regime in Egypt is index by the Muslim brotherhood to be collaborating with enemy nations. Above all, the contribution of the Egypt in the Arab league is dependent on the political game that local players are still playing. Due to its strategic location, Egypt has a foreign policy of the Intermediate between Africa, the Arab world and the Muslim world. It is exposed to the scope of the whole world economically. That is simply because nations of the West use to deal economic relations with Asia through the Suez Canal which has been source of interest in the various passes. The proximity to Israel and Syria justifies the obligation for Egypt to keep up a foreign policy which includes military power. Meanwhile, the Muslim brotherhood wants to take the advantage of this strategic foreign policy. They seem to bestow Egypt as a power of submission of other powers.

Currently, the Mubarak government mimics on the effects of a peaceful cooperation with all Arab countries than for the West. His foreign policy is widely credited to a strategy of negotiations in conflict and interest to the race. Note that in the Arab League, there are certain countries that do not always grant with Egypt. The feeling beyond that is a possibility that provide Egypt to be satellite nation in the region for the Western diaries. A good example is the war in Iraq lead by the USA. If those bad effects must takes account of number of military campaigns in Afghanistan against the Taliban, the conclusion would be the position of Syria in the Arab League. It is a position that goes against the Egypt because the groups list in the` axis of evil` and governments that are backside them are the true defenders of the Muslim cause. This is the link that may have radical Muslim with other countries whose policy remains categorical against the vision coordinated by USA and Europe. But, there is a Strategic Dialogue between Egypt, America and Europe. By the last meeting, the trias argued: `The dialogue also allowed for the discussion of a number of other related regional and international issues, including economic and political reform. The talks also focused on violence and other recent developments affecting Israel, Lebanon, and the West Bank and Gaza`(internet sources).

Recently, OPEC proceeds rising price of oil. This directly affects the world whose energy depend largely on oil. This is otherwise a look that radical Muslim gets on the wealth of Muslim countries and it does that opposition views remains. Through their influence in foreign policy, the Muslim brotherhood held its positions on the basis of shariah. This pushes to say that the radical positions held by these entities today subdivides in brotherhoods is far more ready to undergo profound changes. That is why the Egyptian politicians felt a dilemma. That of choosing a policy of perpetual negotiations and that of align the brotherhood in the side of trouble makers. On 16 May 2003, the attacks on Casablanca in Morocco have been organized by a group of young people from the same village for the cause of Islam. That equivoque to die for the holy cause goes against all democratic values.

This is one way to circumscribe the individual freedom and a use of threat to impose its own views. That is what the Egyptian government has understood. The decision to hunt down members of the brotherhood comes from this theory because part of a nation is its influence on other surrounding nations; others share the links with the shared values in the modern Western political style. Starting later, the political authorities appreciate the pros and cons of a claim to the name of the Islam and the reality of political life today. Albeit it may be, the country still faces the immensity of the population who depends on the river Nile and its delta. Poverty remains a significant factor. Both sides, Egyptian government and the brotherhood, claim the honor of the subject of struggle.

b. Foreign matters within Egyptian Foreign Policy

Generally, the influence of domestic’s constituencies in foreign policy is linked to the question of real interest. For the case of Egypt, the origin of this interest is religious. It is a matter that it built up with several possibilities for survival, the radical brotherhood being propagated across the world; all members consider themselves as simple agents scarifying their life for the glory of Allah. The more important is the ideology that has demonstrated its long life, despite the divisions that take place in the movement. Bond to the politicians malignant, by the definition of politics as an art of conflict resolution, some leaders in the Mubarak’s government had connections with the branches of the Brotherhood to settle the views divided since. Making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between branches that embody this spirit of departure, the voice of the component is on a `non sellout` of the Koran and the submission of Muslims to a foreign domination. In this understanding, it is difficult to reconcile the two visions. Through the pressure by the brotherhood, the Egyptian government has rejected the idea of a U.S. attack against Libya in 1986. Egypt also maintains a passive attitude during the invasion of Israel by Arab League countries. The pharaonic land check a middle position as a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian and it goes over conflicting affinities. The past years, following attack against Palestine by Israel, the proposals have been made by Egypt for the peaceful resolution of conflict. Yasser Arafat, during his lifetime, made several trips to Egypt to negotiations into crisis. In all, foreign aid is a matter of influence in Egypt policy. It is confronted to internal conflict of Islamization of the country and the protection of national legitimacy. The brotherhood whose pressure is being felt on the Egyptian government is now not only composed of the Egyptians. For wishing to benefit of the current estimates of the country, the Muslim Brotherhood will give interest to win this fight and exploit the position of strength in which Egypt can be compared to other nations for an effective fulfillment of the shariah.

5.	Conclusion

We have seen that the Muslim brotherhood is a transnational movement and the largest political opposition organization working in many Arab states, particularly Egypt. The brotherhood is today the world's oldest and largest Islamist political group due to its date of foundation and the number of followers. The main goal of brotherhood is to instill the Qur'an and shariah as the reference point for all Muslims that illuminate the life of the Muslim family, individual, society and state. The movement uses some violent method to achieve its goal. This way to act worried many governments around the world. Then, the Egyptian government work against the brother that authorities take for responsible of the massacre of people after World War II. The United State shows and keeps its position by attributing to the brotherhood the responsibility to defend violent method when fighting for holy cause. Comparing to the actual distinction of countries, `Egypt's foreign policy operates along a non-aligned level. Factors such as population size, historical events, military strength, diplomatic expertise and a strategic geographical position give Egypt extensive political influence in the Middle East, Africa, and within the Non-Aligned Movement as a whole`(Internet Sources). At the same time, Egypt retains its bilateral relations in the region. For Egypt government, the foreign policy does not only depend on foreign matters but also to internal factors such the perpetual threats into the country from radical brotherhood. This does not prevent it to be a giant among the other nations even the brotherhood sometimes works` under the shadow of some of these governments. Under consideration of the impact that comes from brotherhood ideology, the Egypt government has been officially to choose position between America, Europe and Gulf region. In term of their relation, the cooperation focuses mostly on security and economy. It is the so called Strategic Dialogue with America and Europe.

Bibliography -	Mandaville, P., 2007, Global Political Islam, Routledge, London

-	Cottam, M. and Cottam, R., 2001, Nationalism and politics: the political behavior of nation states, Rienner Publisher, London -	Venter, A. and Landsberg, C., 2006, Government and Politics in the new South Africa, Van Schaik Publishers, Pretoria -	Ministry of foreign affairs of Arabic Republic of Egypt http://www.mfa.gov.eg/MFA_Portal/en-GB/Foreign_Policy/International_Relations/ -	Wikipedia: Egypt Foreign Policy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Egypt -	Foreign Policy: The determinants of Foreign Policy in Egypt http://countrystudies.us/egypt/123.htm -	The muslims brotherhood: vanguard for political islam http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/docs/TheMuslimBrotherhoodVanguardforPoliticalIslam.pdf

Tables of contents 1.Introduction 2. The koranic origin of radical Muslims brotherhood                                                                         2 3. Difficulty of foreign policy decision-making                                                                              3 4. The radical brotherhood as domestic constraints in foreign policy decision-making                                         5 a. Major challenges in Egyptian Foreign Policy decision-making                                                               7 b. Foreign matters within Egyptian Foreign Policy                                                                            8 5. Conclusion                                                                                                                   9 6. Bibliography                                                                                                                10 7. Table of contents                                                                                                                   11