Ahmad Shafiq; The Accidental Egyptian Phenomenal by Jamil Shawwa

Until this moment I cannot comprehend [me] using the name Shafiq and attach to it the word or the description,  Phenomenal- he has been the furthest from it, until last week . Ahmad Shafiq- the former prime minister under the deposed president Mubarak and the military and intelligence candidate for president in Egypt- despite a probable or possible defeat to the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi, did a miracle.  I cannot keep my amazement about how good this Shafiq did in the elections. I mean he was nobody, nothing, no party, even worse, was the last Prime Minister of the deposed ruler. And accordingly and from pure elections and political skills; he deserves the applause and he should capitalize on his success. Shafiq now, based on the Egyptian people and based on over 12 million votes,about 50%, and based on him beating the religious machinery, regardless of the presidential elections results, merely based on the percentage of votes he got, has a historic chance now to build a power base with the military and the majority of the Egyptian people to create a new world class Egypt. I really  cannot believe what I just said. Is it possible, a  world class country called Egypt? So Shafiq got it all; whether he is going to use it, or whether he will turn on the engine of the base he got; is another big question. Egypt's destiny is in the hands of its people, anyone who thinks otherwise, does not know or does not want to know or running an agenda, its ok. Either the Egyptians will make it or break it. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions ", the Egyptians need to work to build a country, they need to vote, then need to stay and find solutions within their country. They need to stop living as a society in conspiracy theories. The way and style and attitude Some of the Egyptians portrayed after hearing the claim of  victory in the night following the second elections day last week of the Muslim Brotherhood in the presidential elections, reminded me of the same way Egypt acted after it was  soundly defeated in the 1967 war; in other words, in complete denial. Songs and propaganda and poems- from the era of the ultimate deceiver, Abdel Nasser- the creator of the 1952 political system and the creator of the Arab countries dictatorship-and headlines that are not real. The Egyptians are not used to transparency in governing and in a way of life in general. The State is not found publicly; just read the rumors about the health condition of Mubarak and the thousands of hearsay published daily about everything; some even talk about an international conspiracy against Egypt- I’m shocked and my Jaw drop and I cannot bring it back every time I come across such nonsense. The Muslim Brotherhood might have won and results can be disputed and challenged before the Commission and the Courts but living in denial will never help-it never did. 101 Democracy and Sports teach us that  people win and people lose but you keep going and trying. Shafiq and the presidential elections proved that the Muslim Brotherhood is not a dominating power in Egypt and will not be a dominating power in the Arab countries-once those countries follow the Egyptian example of strong State system- at this stage, military and intelligence, later the moderate majority with democratic institutions. The results were so close, again, that I'm appalled by anyone who  claims or whines that Egypt is lost- to the religious apparatus. The results were a miracle-seriously. Egypt is on the right path to democracy and prosperity  but going through historic changes in a way that will prove right, down the road. Things might look messed up but Egypt is not small and is not irrelevant; it is big and it is important and it is relevant. The Army must have a role transitioning to the civic society. And democracy along the rule of law must progress and it is progressing. It is not easy but it is not impossible. Regionally, The Egyptians will continue with the State of Israel and future credible and elected Palestinian partners in the West Bank and Gaza, the ultimate quest for peace in the Middle East which is the establishment of a Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza, side by side  with the State of Israel.