Hossam Badrawi Official Website
“The Egypt we dream of.” A dialogue between friends
Hossam Badrawi
Dr.. Osama Hamdy, a professor at Harvard University, is an internationally acclaimed scientist in diabetes research and treatment, and runs one of the best research and development centers in the treatment of this incurable disease in the world in the United States. We share together by being born in Mansoura and melting in love with our country, dreaming of tomorrow and working for it.
We had a discussion about the Egypt we dream of and its history related to its leaders. Because we see the best in people, and we positively appreciate what we see as good, and criticize what we see as wrong, the discussion about Egypt’s leaders in the modern era was like a dialogue for the future, initiated by Dr. Osama saying:
Egypt has passed through seven rulers in the past eighty years. Each of them tried as much as possible to serve this country from a position of leadership, but he excelled and made mistakes. You may get excited about one of them and see only his achievements and “crack the sand” at his failures, and see him as an angel, but you may forget that a ruler is what he is. He is only a servant of the people and not his master, and his success and failure are measured by the people’s satisfaction with him at the time of his rule and the word of history after his departure. Unfortunately, the era of most of them ended not as they had hoped.
I said: If the transfer of power took place civilly, we would see building upon building, an accumulation of the positivity of each era, and a correction of its mistakes, and we would not see every president demolishing the actions of those before him or sometimes removing his name from history.
He said: You are right, with an impartial look at these eras of our leaders. They have what they have and what they owe. They are human beings who make mistakes and make mistakes, and each of them lived in his era with a climate that differed from what we live in now.
I said: Let’s take them one by one and see their perspectives on what they achieved and what they failed to do.
He said: I will start with King Farouk, the era of pashas and barefooted people. He was a patriot who loved his country, respected the democratic constitutional system and free elections, and hated English colonialism.
I said: What is wrong with him?
He said: Personal recklessness, gambling obsession, tampering with politics by changing ministries, neglecting the countryside and leaving it a prey to ignorance, poverty and disease, and entering the 1948 war without preparation, which led to the defeat of all the Arabs.
I said: The end of his era was by being removed from power through the army revolution and distorting his rule, and even attacking the leaders who lived during all the eras of monarchy, as if Egypt was born after the army revolution in July 52.
I added: What about Muhammad Naguib, whose presence was erased from history throughout Abdel Nasser’s life and whose time ended with deposition and house arrest?
He said: During his reign, monarchy and colonialism ended and the republic was declared, but he had thrown himself into the arms of the Muslim Brotherhood and the dissolved parties and was not the true leader of the revolution.
I said: The era of Abdel Nasser will witness a dispute between you and me because of my knowledge of you and your love for him.
Dr. said. Osama: Abdel Nasser’s era was the era of industrial renaissance and social justice, hopes for unity and openness to Africa, nationalization of the canal, construction of the High Dam, cultural, literary and artistic renaissance, the growth of the socialist dimension and the attempt to achieve a sufficient society, social laws to protect the middle class, workers and peasants, and the elimination of the control of the head. Money on governance, then a war of attrition after defeat.
He continued: As for what happened, it was reliance on people of trust, the failure of the unity project, involvement in the Yemen war, the elimination of the private sector, the setback of 1967, the effects of which we are still suffering from, the totalitarian regime and the absence of democracy, control over the media, and security repression.
I said: I was neutral in your description…but what I take with Nasser’s era is the loss of an opportunity. With his popularity in the Arab world, he was able to move the country to a sustainable democratic era, but he accepted dictatorship, facilitated referendums, and wasted an opportunity that may not have been possible. It is repeated in the history of the Arab world.
He said: What about Anwar Sadat?
I said: The era of victory, the beginning of peace, the restoration of Sinai, the democratic transition, the building of industrial cities, and exiting the orbit of the Russian communist camp with a prior vision of the possibilities of its downfall.
He said: And what he had to do was also a lot: reckless economic openness, widening differences between classes, bringing political Islam back to the scene and strengthening it, falling into the orbit of the Western American camp, and demolishing everything that Nasser’s era represented in terms of social justice… and his era ended in a tragic end.
I said: What I do not forgive him for is amending the constitution to open periods of rule, which is what he did not benefit from, but rather those who came after him did.
I added: The era of Hosni Mubarak was characterized by stability, the completion of the liberation of the land, the return of Arab relations, the absence of involvement in conflicts in the region, the expansion of foreign investment, and the rise in the country’s general income.
I added: But this was not reflected in the middle-class and poor citizens, with social erosion and political stagnation, failure in education and health, widening differences between classes, terrible population explosion, the emergence of slums, and the moral collapse of society.
I added: The truth is that he also had the opportunity to confirm democracy and the transfer of power, as he said at the beginning of his rule, but he did not do so, and his rule ended with him being forced to step down from power.
Dr. said. Osama: Like those before him, everything he did will be erased, his name will be removed even from metro stations, and he and all those who were oppressors and oppressed with him will be tried.
I said: As for Mohamed Morsi, it was the era of the rise of political Islam, and its rapid and horrific fall, as a result of arrogance, stupidity, fanaticism, seizing all powers, and coloring society in the color of the Brotherhood… But we must remember the truth of media freedom during his reign, which was one of the reasons for the fall of his rule.
I added: He also sought to empower the Brotherhood from all aspects of the state, destroy its institutions, create parallel institutions such as armed militias, open the door to extremists and protect them, and open the door to external interference in the country’s affairs and future and economic collapse. His era ended with his removal from power through a popular revolution.
He said, and I smiled: Should we continue talking about Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (yet), or is that inappropriate?!
Hossam Badrawi
Dr.. Osama Hamdy, a professor at Harvard University, is an internationally acclaimed scientist in diabetes research and treatment, and runs one of the best research and development centers in the treatment of this incurable disease in the world in the United States. We share together by being born in Mansoura and melting in love with our country, dreaming of tomorrow and working for it.
We had a discussion about the Egypt we dream of and its history related to its leaders. Because we see the best in people, and we positively appreciate what we see as good, and criticize what we see as wrong, the discussion about Egypt’s leaders in the modern era was like a dialogue for the future, initiated by Dr. Osama saying:
Egypt has passed through seven rulers in the past eighty years. Each of them tried as much as possible to serve this country from a position of leadership, but he excelled and made mistakes. You may get excited about one of them and see only his achievements and “crack the sand” at his failures, and see him as an angel, but you may forget that a ruler is what he is. He is only a servant of the people and not his master, and his success and failure are measured by the people’s satisfaction with him at the time of his rule and the word of history after his departure. Unfortunately, the era of most of them ended not as they had hoped.
I said: If the transfer of power took place civilly, we would see building upon building, an accumulation of the positivity of each era, and a correction of its mistakes, and we would not see every president demolishing the actions of those before him or sometimes removing his name from history.
He said: You are right, with an impartial look at these eras of our leaders. They have what they have and what they owe. They are human beings who make mistakes and make mistakes, and each of them lived in his era with a climate that differed from what we live in now.
I said: Let’s take them one by one and see their perspectives on what they achieved and what they failed to do.
He said: I will start with King Farouk, the era of pashas and barefooted people. He was a patriot who loved his country, respected the democratic constitutional system and free elections, and hated English colonialism.
I said: What is wrong with him?
He said: Personal recklessness, gambling obsession, tampering with politics by changing ministries, neglecting the countryside and leaving it a prey to ignorance, poverty and disease, and entering the 1948 war without preparation, which led to the defeat of all the Arabs.
I said: The end of his era was by being removed from power through the army revolution and distorting his rule, and even attacking the leaders who lived during all the eras of monarchy, as if Egypt was born after the army revolution in July 52.
I added: What about Muhammad Naguib, whose presence was erased from history throughout Abdel Nasser’s life and whose time ended with deposition and house arrest?
He said: During his reign, monarchy and colonialism ended and the republic was declared, but he had thrown himself into the arms of the Muslim Brotherhood and the dissolved parties and was not the true leader of the revolution.
I said: The era of Abdel Nasser will witness a dispute between you and me because of my knowledge of you and your love for him.
Dr. said. Osama: Abdel Nasser’s era was the era of industrial renaissance and social justice, hopes for unity and openness to Africa, nationalization of the canal, construction of the High Dam, cultural, literary and artistic renaissance, the growth of the socialist dimension and the attempt to achieve a sufficient society, social laws to protect the middle class, workers and peasants, and the elimination of the control of the head. Money on governance, then a war of attrition after defeat.
He continued: As for what happened, it was reliance on people of trust, the failure of the unity project, involvement in the Yemen war, the elimination of the private sector, the setback of 1967, the effects of which we are still suffering from, the totalitarian regime and the absence of democracy, control over the media, and security repression.
I said: I was neutral in your description…but what I take with Nasser’s era is the loss of an opportunity. With his popularity in the Arab world, he was able to move the country to a sustainable democratic era, but he accepted dictatorship, facilitated referendums, and wasted an opportunity that may not have been possible. It is repeated in the history of the Arab world.
He said: What about Anwar Sadat?
I said: The era of victory, the beginning of peace, the restoration of Sinai, the democratic transition, the building of industrial cities, and exiting the orbit of the Russian communist camp with a prior vision of the possibilities of its downfall.
He said: And what he had to do was also a lot: reckless economic openness, widening differences between classes, bringing political Islam back to the scene and strengthening it, falling into the orbit of the Western American camp, and demolishing everything that Nasser’s era represented in terms of social justice… and his era ended in a tragic end.
I said: What I do not forgive him for is amending the constitution to open periods of rule, which is what he did not benefit from, but rather those who came after him did.
I added: The era of Hosni Mubarak was characterized by stability, the completion of the liberation of the land, the return of Arab relations, the absence of involvement in conflicts in the region, the expansion of foreign investment, and the rise in the country’s general income.
I added: But this was not reflected in the middle-class and poor citizens, with social erosion and political stagnation, failure in education and health, widening differences between classes, terrible population explosion, the emergence of slums, and the moral collapse of society.
I added: The truth is that he also had the opportunity to confirm democracy and the transfer of power, as he said at the beginning of his rule, but he did not do so, and his rule ended with him being forced to step down from power.
Dr. said. Osama: Like those before him, everything he did will be erased, his name will be removed even from metro stations, and he and all those who were oppressors and oppressed with him will be tried.
I said: As for Mohamed Morsi, it was the era of the rise of political Islam, and its rapid and horrific fall, as a result of arrogance, stupidity, fanaticism, seizing all powers, and coloring society in the color of the Brotherhood… But we must remember the truth of media freedom during his reign, which was one of the reasons for the fall of his rule.
I added: He also sought to empower the Brotherhood from all aspects of the state, destroy its institutions, create parallel institutions such as armed militias, open the door to extremists and protect them, and open the door to external interference in the country’s affairs and future and economic collapse. His era ended with his removal from power through a popular revolution.
He said, and I smiled: Should we continue talking about Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (yet), or is that inappropriate?!
I said: I think that the fear of frank political talk does not come from the institution of the presidency, but it is an impression that increases day by day. Most likely, this is not true, but in politics the impression becomes a reality in the conscience even if it has no proof. However, in general, it may be difficult to judge a period of time while it is occurring, and understanding its effects becomes more accurate after its time has passed.
Dr. said. Osama: If Egypt had taken the best of its rulers, built on their achievements, and corrected the mistakes of every era instead of demolishing everything and starting over every once in a while, we would be in a different position.
I said: If we combined the advantages of each era, we would have achieved the modern Egyptian civil state that we all dream of – a modern civil state with a stable democratic constitutional system, free elections, peaceful transfer of power, non-use of religion to obtain political gains, and a major industrial renaissance with a fundamental role. The private sector has a specific, documented role for the state, high-level education as a right and not as a paid service, health care with international standards that does not depend on the citizen’s financial ability, public transportation that respects the humanity of citizens, complete justice based on a clear philosophy independent of the executive authority, equal opportunities, and a cultural and literary renaissance. “And an art that is not shackled by Salafist thought.” We would have achieved “a state that protects and develops the middle class, expands foreign investment within the country to create job opportunities with freedom of the media, completes major projects and infrastructure, and sustains economic reform while improving and raising the efficiency of security performance scientifically and not in form.. Relationships Balanced Arab and international cooperation, eliminating slums, replanning urban areas, curbing the population explosion, and developing tourism, Egypt’s untapped treasure.”
Isn’t this the Egypt we all dream of?!
I added: Sustainable human development, my friend, and the peaceful transfer of power are the basis for cumulative construction, learning from our mistakes, and not repeating the same thing waiting for different results.
He said: Far from sweet talk, and with the utmost honesty and sincerity… I say this to the current and future leaders of Egypt… This is all we hope from you for our beloved Egypt, so that history will remember you with goodness.
Dr. said. Osama: If Egypt had taken the best of its rulers, built on their achievements, and corrected the mistakes of every era instead of demolishing everything and starting over every once in a while, we would be in a different position.
I said: If we combined the advantages of each era, we would have achieved the modern Egyptian civil state that we all dream of – a modern civil state with a stable democratic constitutional system, free elections, peaceful transfer of power, non-use of religion to obtain political gains, and a major industrial renaissance with a fundamental role. The private sector has a specific, documented role for the state, high-level education as a right and not as a paid service, health care with international standards that does not depend on the citizen’s financial ability, public transportation that respects the humanity of citizens, complete justice based on a clear philosophy independent of the executive authority, equal opportunities, and a cultural and literary renaissance. “And an art that is not shackled by Salafist thought.” We would have achieved “a state that protects and develops the middle class, expands foreign investment within the country to create job opportunities with freedom of the media, completes major projects and infrastructure, and sustains economic reform while improving and raising the efficiency of security performance scientifically and not in form.. Relationships Balanced Arab and international cooperation, eliminating slums, replanning urban areas, curbing the population explosion, and developing tourism, Egypt’s untapped treasure.”
Isn’t this the Egypt we all dream of?!
I added: Sustainable human development, my friend, and the peaceful transfer of power are the basis for cumulative construction, learning from our mistakes, and not repeating the same thing waiting for different results.
He said: Far from sweet talk, and with the utmost honesty and sincerity… I say this to the current and future leaders of Egypt… This is all we hope from you for our beloved Egypt, so that history will remember you with goodness.
