A chief of the Egyptian coup that removed Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi from the presidency has espoused radical views, including that the West will need to accept a Middle East democracy based on the Islam.
That's according to a report from Judicial Watch, a Washington-based government watchdog organization.
The group obtained a copy of the writings of Gen. Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, the head of the army in Egypt that moved Morsi from the president's office to a jail cell.
For years, the U.S. Army War College sat on a 2006 thesis El-Sisi wrote while he studied at the Pennsylvania school, the Army’s most senior military educational institution.
Judicial Watch obtained the thesis using public-records laws and described the writings as "alarming," revealing his radical concept of democracy in the Middle East as a combination of Islamism and militarism.
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"The challenge that exists is whether the rest of the world will be able to accept a democracy in the Middle East founded on Islamic beliefs," El-Sisi wrote in his 17-page thesis.
"Practically speaking, this should not be an issue because Islamic beliefs produce behavior that is more than comparable to other religious behavior," he wrote.
Judicial Watch said the general adopted an "extremist view of Islam's role in a democracy" and expressed his belief that Islam be the foundation for everything.
"Democracy cannot be understood in the Middle Ease without an understanding of the concept of El Kalafa," El-Sisi wrote, referencing the decades-long period when Muslims were led by Muhammad.
Returning to the Muhammad days is widely recognized as the goal for any new form of government in the Middle East, El-Sisi writes. He also takes the opportunity to trash the United States, writing that America cares only about protecting its national interests in the Middle East.
"Is transitioning to democracy in the best interest of United States or is it in the interest of the Middle Eastern countries?" he asks.
"After reading this, many may wonder how the Obama administration could possibly support Gen. El-Sisi after leading the armed overthrow of Egypt's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi," Judicial Watch said.
"Simply changing the political systems from autocratic rule to democratic rule will not be enough to build a new democracy," the general wrote. "The economic, religious, education, media, security and legal sytems will all be affected. As a result, It will take time for people and the nation's systems to adjust to the new form of government. … Furthermore, existing democratic countries will need to be supportive and patient with the burgeoning new democracies."
He explained: "In my opinion democracy needs good environment like a reasonable economic situation, educated people, and as (sic) moderate understanding of religious issue."
He said as democracy develops in the Middle East, "it is not necessarily going to evolve upon a Western template – it will have its own shape or form coupled with stronger religious ties."
The general said the time of Muhammad was "ideal."
"During his life and the seventy year period that followed the ideal state of El Kalafa existed as a way of life among the people and within the government bodies. This period of time is viewed as a very special period and is considered the ideal form of government and it is widely recognized as the goal for any new form of government very much in the manner that the U.S. pursued the ideals of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' From the Middle Eastern perspective, the defining words government their form of democracy would likely reflect 'fairness, justice, equality, unity and charity.'"
El-Asis wrote that while some consider adding a "religion" branch to the legislative, executive and judicial branches of a democracy, that would be unneeded.
"Ideally, the legislative, executive and judicial bodies should all take Islamic beliefs into consideration when carrying out their duties. As such, there should be no need for a separate religious branch," he wrote.
"However, to codify the major tenets of the Islamic faith, they should be represented in the constitution or similar document. This does not mean a theocracy will be established, rather it means that a democracy will be established built upon Islamic beliefs."
He compares the Middle East to the early years of America.
"Given the excessive influence of the Church of England, the U.S. decided to include language in the Constitution that provided some separation from church and state, but religion was not eliminated from government, despite what some are led to believe. … In the early years, religion was important and shaped the values of the American nation. In the Middle East, the approach is really no different with the exception that the Muslim fait his the basis upon with the Middle Eastern form of democracy will be built."