Egypt too busy to bite the hand that feeds

By TOM PERRY

CAIRO - Puffing on a water pipe in a Cairo cafe, Karim says he has no love for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but a United States-led war to depose him would only impose Washington's rule on a suffering country.

"Saddam is a bad person. But a dictatorship is going to replace a dictatorship. They [the United States] might bring democracy, but one that serves US interests," the 44-year-old retiree said.

Karim said Egyptians were too worried about making ends meet to hit the streets in protest against a war they feel powerless to avoid.

Under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Egypt was the champion of Arab nationalism, and many Arabs look to it to stand up to Washington and plead their cause.

But with US aid a vital crutch for Egypt's ailing economy, most Egyptians say those days are over.

"The Egyptians might be upset at first, but then it will be business as usual," Karim said.

"I would demonstrate against war if there was any point, but my voice isn't going to make a difference."

Ahmed Youssef, a 29-year-old computer programmer who works two jobs, seven days a week, says he despises US policies but is too busy and scared to vent his disdain.

"I hate the United States - it's coming for its own interests, for the oil," the 29-year-old said.

His work had kept him from joining any of the handful of small anti-war protests in Cairo.

He said his fear of security forces also deterred him from taking part.

At one January anti-war protest in central Cairo, about 50 truck-loads of riot police surrounded fewer than 100 demonstrators, who planned to march towards the US embassy.

The procession moved about 50m and fizzled out quickly.

Most Egyptians are sceptical of Washington's policies towards Iraq. They say Washington has double standards, demanding Baghdad stick to UN resolutions while not asking Israel to do the same.

"Why do UN resolutions only apply to Arabs?" said Abu Hatim, a 52-year-old shop manager.

The Egyptian Government is in a tough spot. The second-largest recipient of US aid after Israel, it does not want to alienate its long-time ally and benefactor.

But Egypt is also aware that a war against a fellow Arab state, especially if civilian casualties mount, could push its population into the streets. With almost 70 million people, Egypt is the Arab world's most populous country.

So Egypt treads cautiously, while keeping a lid on any signs of popular discontent. President Hosni Mubarak says he is opposed to war, but it is now up to Baghdad to avoid it by meeting UN disarmament demands.

Emad, a 22-year-old commerce student, said he believed US President George W. Bush wanted to dominate Muslim nations and would start a war even if Iraq did all that was required under UN resolutions.

"Bush is more dangerous than Saddam ... "

He said the US aim was to control the Islamic world step by step.

"Saddam is like any leader - he's protecting his country. He has the right to hold weapons of mass destruction - they are a type of security."

- REUTERS

Herald feature: Iraq