Morsi has been forced out, and it’s because the armed forces, plus the police and the intelligence services, decided that it was in their interest to ditch him. And that’s a victory for army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his associates, not for the Tahrir Square passionaries who were shouting themselves hoarse.
Taheri, Amir. “A coup by any name.” New York Post, July 4, 2013.
No matter who is in charge in Egypt, the nation of 85 million people remains a strategic concern for the United States. And although the U.S. has poured more than $70 billion in military and economic aid into Egypt since 1948, the U.S. government’s ability to influence outcomes there remains very limited.
*****
In the wake of massive protests – both for and against Egypt’s current Government – Mr. Ban noted the delicate nature of the situation following the army’s announcement that it is suspending the Constitution and appointing the head of the constitutional court as interim head of state – “decisions that have not been accepted by President [Mohamed] Morsy”.
What will happen to Morsy, who insists he remains the country’s legitimate leader, and his key supporters? Will the sporadic outbreaks of violence that reportedly killed at least 32 people on Wednesday spread into wider unrest? And what hopes remain for Egypt’s messy attempts to build a multiparty democracy?
*****
Egypt’s military holds the cards x cohesion x education x experience x muscle and may make short work of teaching the Muslim Brotherhood that it is not God’s gift to Egypt but rather just another — and not particularly good looking — organization, however large, on a more varied and sophisticated Egyptian political landscape.
In fact, with the “Botherhood” shunted aside for a moment, other self-determining ideas about the relationship between citizens and the state in which they live and about national lifestyle — how Egyptian will life and what they will and will not do — will have time, finally, to percolate and coalesce into genuinely competitive and forward looking movements.
So much has revolved recently around the presence of the Muslim Brotherhood — which observation also relates well to the concept that is “political narcissism” (even negative attention can be breathtaking) — that little has been said about other movements and parties.
Wikipedia this morning lists more than 50 such.
The Carnegie Endowment maintains an undated page also listing parties and alliances: Guide to Egypt’s Transition. “Parties and Alliances.” Carnegie Endowment, n.d.
I’m not much interested in the fate of the “Egyptian Nazi Party” (where I live, that doesn’t even rate a link) but am curious about how Egyptians feel and think in political terms and how that may aggregate into powerful organizations contributing to the representative course of the state.
At the moment, there may be not much in good shape.
Of the brand named “Constitution Party” associated with the distinguished Mohamed El-Baradei, Ahram Online noted back in April, “On Monday, a group of the party’s young members stormed its headquarters in Cairo and occupied it. They demanded dismissing the party’s leadership and creating a new steering committee.”
Whether earlier or later than that youthful dumb move, but close to concomitant with it, thirteen party members resigned.
Game over.
However, there is a restart button — and Egypt’s military has pressed it.
Game on!
Additional Reference
Ahram Online. “More political parties join anti-Morsi petition campaign.” May 16, 2013.
Guide to Egypt’s Transition. “Parties and Alliances.” Carnegie Endowment, n.d.
BackChannels 