A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

July 23, Nasser, and Sisi: Cult of Personality Emerging?

If there was one saving grace to the rule of SCAF in 2011-2012, it was that no attempt was made to create a cult of personality around Field Marshal Tantawi: it's hard to have a cult of persoality around a man with little detectable personality. Is General Sisi taking a different tack? Zeinobia notes that this banner was raised at Nasser's tomb for the July 23 celebrations yesterday:
She also reports that this photo of Nasser greeting a small boy is making the social media rounds with the assertion that the boy is a young General Sisi (born 1954), though no evidence is offered.
Even if the boy has no connection with General Sisi, it seems to add to the idea that parallels with Nasser are being encouraged.

We'll see. Nasser did at least shift to civilian clothing fairly early on, whereas this recent appearance by Sisi struck me as having an almost Central American coup feel to it:

3 comments:

tariq ahsan said...

Nasser wouldn't have had much stature if all he'd done was to oust a weak monarchy. he acquired a public following after nationalizing the Suez and holding on to it in the face of Israeli-European invasion.

So far, Sis has ousted an elected president (a negative) and is yet to achieve anything.

YGQ said...

Like that one?
http://grumpasaurus.com/gallery/albums/userpics/bush_flightsuit.jpg

Anyhow, I think you are right!

Anonymous said...

Pinochet or Videla would seem to be the more apt models.