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My Father, Egypt's President Mubarak, and the incompetent Egyptian opposition!
I see President Mubarak of Egypt, as the most stable, solid and dignified head of this Nation since Cleopatra handed over the greatest empire in antiquity to Cesar, in 48 B.C.
In 30 B.C., Egypt became a province of Rome, disappeared from history... Until... it regained its dignity and awakened to its rightful place in the world; in the revolution of the Free Officers; lead by Gamal Abdul Nasser in 1952.
Despite severe criticism of President Mubarak's regime, Egypt has prospered in the last 25 years of his presidency, like no other period in its history, since the decline of its empire, in 30 B.C.
What I most admire about President Mubarak is his personal qualities: his calm composure, long-term vision, dignity and good temperament under any pressure or circumstances.
A man who is a thoughtful strategist, while in control of his own emotions and actions.
Those great qualities may be the norm among politicians in the developed world, but certainly not a familiar creed among leaders and people in the less developed countries, and especially in the Middle East and Africa.
For centuries, Egyptians have been used to propagandists' loud and inflaming speeches that stir their agonies, pains, emotions and feelings towards whatever "unconscious" motives these leaders have in mind... power, wealth or whatever.
Then, a President comes along, who is certainly different; he does not feed his nation on "big" and loud speeches or "nationalistic" propaganda or hate and blame against America and the West.
President Mubarak works in silence, dignity and composure to restore relationships with other nations that were damaged by his predecessors.
He re-builds infrastructure not maintained for years and years, to set the foundation for Egypt to go back on the road to glory.
The Egyptians should thank God that their President is NOT Mao, Stalin, Hitler or others, whom in their time were called "great." They gave speeches to their people and inflamed their hungry bellies with hopes and talk, while slaughtering them by the millions; only to satisfy whatever egos and desires they have buried deep within their twisted Souls. They were simply "serial killers" in charge.
On a very personal level...
I have held a deep down gratitude and respect for President Mubarak, for a long time... and for many reasons...
Most importantly for me, is the way he treated one of Egypt's greatest political opposition leaders of modern times, at the time of his need and death...
Who, also, happens to be my Father.
"Dr. Mahmud El-Kadi age 34. An Egyptian opposition MP in Nasser Regime, in 1957"
My Father, Dr. Mahmud El-Kadi was an Egyptian politician from 1957 to 1981, although his political career was interrupted, in the middle, for 17 years by the Nasser regime. He continued to be in opposition all his life, inside and outside Parliament.
In 1971, Dr. El-Kadi resumed his formal political career after 17 years and entered parliament again to become the sole opposition MP in one whole parliament term of 5 years. He was joined by a handful of opposition deputies, in the second parliament from 1976 to 1980.
In 1981, he was imprisoned by President Sadat, along with twenty-three other Egyptian opposition politicians.
Following the assassination of Sadat, in 1981 and the ascendance of Mr. Mubarak to the presidency, President Mubarak immediately released all political prisoners and personally received my father straight from the prison to his office.
President Mubarak told my father at this meeting that during his time as vice President of Egypt under Sadat, he consistently asked Sadat to "Listen" to what the opposition are saying and repeatedly encouraged Sadat to open a dialogue with Dr. Mahmud El-Kadi and listen to what he has to say; Sadat has refused Mubarak request every time.
Dr. Mahmud El-Kadi was a powerful, patriotic and educated politician with integrity and honor.
While being the only effective opposition leader in the Egyptian parliament from 1971 to 1980, battling corrupt politicians, questioning the government on every major issue he felt was against the interest of the Nation.
Sadat attacked him publicly in the parliament and in his many speeches, yet, he respected him and acknowledged his patriotism whenever he had an opportunity, until of course Sadat lost the plot and jailed everyone that opposed him including my father, in 1981.
While the government feared Dr. Mahmud El-Kadi questioning and opposition, they too respected him for his good temperament, honour and objectivity at all times.
He would support the government when they were right, and severely question them when they were wrong.
President Mubarak at this meeting offered my father to work with him, My father said to him, "Mr. President, you are fine and I respect you, but I cannot work with the people around you and for whatever life left in me I would like to stay in opposition."
President Mubarak respected my father's wishes and asked him to stay in touch regularly with him for consultation. My father thanked him and went back to Alexandria, to continue what he considered to be a sacred role, "The Opposition" that shows the way to the government and shadows it.
My father was, very much influenced, by his education in Great Britain and admired so much the political system in the UK and the role of opposition in their great parliament.
He repeatedly quoted the famous American President; saying, "Opposition is like a whip on my back but also the light that shows me the way ahead".
"Dr. El-Kadi (Right) with Prime Minster Higazi, in the 1976 Parliament"
Mohamed Heikal, the famous Egyptian writer, in his book "Autumn of Fury" wrote about Sadat's life and politics, and wrote about Dr. Mahmud El-Kadi.
"As can be seen, Parliament was not inactive in drawing attention to abuses - or, rather, it would be more accurate to say that there were a handful of deputies who felt it their duty do so. The most active of these was Dr. Mahmud El-Kadi, a prominent engineer and one of the best parliamentarians Egypt had ever produced. It was he, who raised the question of the buses, steel, cement and other scandals. I was not surprised to find him a fellow prisoner in September 1981."
Life was too short for my father, at the age of 58 he fell ill with Cancer, in 1982.
President Mubarak, on hearing the news of his illness, sent his own Helicopter to Alexandria to take him to the best Military hospital in Cairo.
The President ordered his treatment in America, the socialist party arranged for him to be treated in East Germany. All politicians from all different sides of politics visited him in hospital: ministers, past ministers, and even, Mr. Khalid Abdul Nasser visited him.
Albeit, my father had never been a member of any political party, and remained an independent MP all his career.
Time was not on my father's side, and he passed away before he could be moved abroad for treatment.
In his funeral, politicians from all parties came to pay respect...
The Egyptian Army, against all rules and regulations authorised his coffin, to be wrapped in the Egyptian flag.
The Prime Minster at the time, Dr. Foad Muhi Eldeen attended his funeral, while President Mubarak was abroad on an official visit.
The President sent me a telegram for condolences, with some kind and calming words.
Is this an act of an oppressor, or a dictator; as the current opposition leaders want us to believe? .....
I don't think so...
In fact, I think that the Egyptian opposition should learn a lesson or two from Dr. Mahmud El-Kadi's life, and role as the only leader of opposition in the seventies who was armed only with the truth, honor, dignity, knowledge and objectivity.
They should learn the art and dignity of being in the opposition.
They should learn, that the role of the opposition is sacred, objective and a constructive instrument of power, and building nations.
See the opposition in Great Britain, in France, in Germany and in America.
They should learn, from Dr. El-Kadi that opposition is NOT just about saying "I Object" or making personal gains by bullying the government.
Political opposition in the parliament; it is about serving the nation, about opposing wrong doing while explaining the rational, and giving solutions, and most importantly, it is about making legislations to organise and enrich the lives of millions of Egyptians.
It is easy, in a developing and poor country like Egypt, for some people to exploit others, their agony, poverty, emotions and feelings, for their own gain. This is neither honourable nor sustainable opposition or politics that builds great nations.
Nowadays in Egypt, the political opposition is virtually non-existent, and ineffective. Whatever exists of it is still living in the past era of making propaganda, and inflaming speeches... They ask for reform, but do not state what they want to reform... They just inflame, and make speeches to each other, Goodness knows why.
Egypt's Economy is on the rise all the time, the mammoth task of re-building Egypt's entire infrastructure, was done in President Mubarak's time.
New cities where built to house more people.
New and substantial lands, have been reclaimed from the desert, and cultivated for food to the nation.
Oil and Gas exploration has multiplied, and put Egypt today on the map as one of the largest producers and exporters of Oil and Gas in the world.
In technology, Egypt today ranked twelfth among the nations of the world in information technology outsourcing. Egypt started to challenge India and East Europe; as the favourite destination for IT outsourcing for America and Europe.
For the first time in Egypt's modern history, we now hear about Egyptian Multinational companies. Orascom and Raya are progressing in leaps and bounds to put Egypt on the competitive world map, along with the giants from the western world, bringing much needed hard currencies, jobs and management skills to the nation.
Young ministers, fresh with ideas and motivation are now in charge of the government and working day and night to promote Egyptian products and services abroad.
In every international venue and conference, they can be seen, some of these young ministers are on their feet in these conferences greeting people and promoting Egypt.
Since Mubarak came to power, Egypt extended its hands in friendship to the all nations in the world, unlike the propagandists of the past that damaged these relationships.
Today, most of Egypt's debts have been removed, we are talking about billions of dollars, have been wiped out from Egypt's debt books, while some opposition so-called leaders, are still inflaming people about a pound lost here or there, and completely missing the bigger picture.
We are talking about the sixty billion dollars that have been wiped out of Egypt's debt; solely based on the effort of its government and due to its vision and newly built relationship with all nations of the world.
I remember when I was young and living in Egypt, a distant relative of mine heard someone saying, "Ah... It is so bad weather today..." my relative replied, in all seriousness, "I told you, it's a terrible government"... imagine such an answer... this is how critically "insane" some people could become in Egypt..
I was moved to write this article, because of something I read that I did not like.
I read an article regarding the Egyptian politician Ayman Nour who was a candidate in the Egyptian Presidential election, in 2005.
Mr. Nour is in Jail today, and I am not judging his guilt or innocence in this article, or whether he is qualified to be President of Egypt or not. He may, just as well, be qualified.
This is not the issue...
What I have observed here, is the way his supporters from "the opposition" handled his jailing situation.
They used America's Condoleezza Rice's comments and objection to the arrest of Mr. Nour as "evidence" of his innocence and a weapon against the government to release him.
I just feel it is a total Hypocrisy, on the side of the Egyptian opposition, to use America as a weapon against their own government, despite their own deep routed dislike and hatred for the American regime itself.
Nevertheless, they allied with America when it suited them to do so... Not to worry about honour or dignity, after they failed to pressure the government release the man.
Goodness knows why Rice said what she said, perhaps the Americans were trying to push President Mubarak to do something for them that would not benefit Egypt and he refused?
I don't know... But, it is likely the case.
It is politics, after all, and President Mubarak will continue to see the bigger picture for the nation; regardless of the pain and distress that some might have to endure for the good of the nation.
"Dr El-Kadi recieved by President Mubarak after being released from Jail in 1981"
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