Just How Popular Is the Egyptian Government?

It seems that everyone from the shoeshine specialist in the Khan el-Khalili to the baker up the street is anxious to talk politics nowadays.  For some, the new versus the old is summed up this way:  "Mubarek, lots of money.  Morsi, no money."  This is becoming a remarkably common sentiment.

Still, most will throw in a "Mubarek was very bad."   But the most common complaint about the new government is its lack of visibility or action.  Most Americans reading this will no doubt feel that our recent contribution of $250,000,000 will be much appreciated will be well-received.

Here is how things went Monday night at a restaurant in the upscale Nasr City area of town.

A young Egyptian man, Karim Farghali, verbally attacked Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie late on Monday as the latter was having dinner with his family at a restaurant in the City Stars shopping mall in Cairo's Nasr City district

Recounting the incident in a telephone interview with Egypt's Dream II satellite television channel, Farghali claimed that the argument arose when he asked Badie sarcastically: "Do you eat at an American restaurant because the US is backing your stay in power?"

Farghali said that he then told Badie: "Your end will be at our hands. Your days are few and you [the Brotherhood] will go back to jail."

According to Farghali, Badie replied to him "provocatively," saying: "God commissioned me not to reply to the likes of you."

The incident sparked pandemonium in the area, with some mall patrons reportedly chanting against Badie as he left the restaurant and walked through the mall.

Do read the Wikipedia article on the aptly named Badie, especially the Statements on the West section.  Of course, what I wanted to know was omitted from the story.  Which American restaurant was this?  Chili's?  T.G.I.Friday's.?

Here is the restaurant list from City Stars from four years ago.  More photos of City Stars mall at this old post.