Presidential Campaign Highly Polarizes in Egypt

In this Monday, June 11, 2012 file photo, giant billboards showing Egyptian presidential candidates Ahmed Shafiq, top, and Mohammed Morsi, bottom, are seen along a highway in Cairo, Egypt. Arabic sign, top, reads, “Ahmed Shafiq, president for Egypt, actions and not words.” Arabic sign, bottom, partially shown, reads, “our strength is in our unity, we want a president, Mohammed Morsi, president for Egypt 2012.” In Egypt’s highly polarizing presidential campaign, both sides have been going for the jugular. Wild accusations have been flying, and Egyptians are seeing a return of old tricks that went on under the table during Hosni Mubarak’s regime, now used without inhibition. Security officials have been leaking intelligence files to discredit the Muslim Brotherhood and its candidate, while Islamists have fanned out to mosques to denounce their opponent as anti-Islam.

In this Sunday, June 3, 2012 file photo, Egyptian presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq holds a clipping from an Arabic newspaper with a headline that reads, “The Muslim Brotherhood–not suited for presidency or government,” during a press conference in Cairo, Egypt. In Egypt’s highly polarizing presidential campaign, both sides have been going for the jugular. Wild accusations have been flying, and Egyptians are seeing a return of old tricks that went on under the table during Hosni Mubarak’s regime, now used without inhibition. Security officials have been leaking intelligence files to discredit the Muslim Brotherhood and its candidate, while Islamists have fanned out to mosques to denounce their opponent as anti-Islam.

In this Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 file photo, pro-government demonstrators, below, some riding camels and horses and armed with sticks, clash with anti-government demonstrators, above, in Tahrir Square, the center of anti-government demonstrations, in Cairo, Egypt. In Egypt’s highly polarizing presidential campaign, both sides have been going for the jugular. Wild accusations have been flying, and Egyptians are seeing a return of old tricks that went on under the table during Hosni Mubarak’s regime, now used without inhibition. Security officials have been leaking intelligence files to discredit the Muslim Brotherhood and its candidate, while Islamists have fanned out to mosques to denounce their opponent as anti-Islam. <AP/Newsis>

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