I guess this bears watching (LA Times link);
Egypt’s military dissolved the country’s parliament and suspended the constitution saying it will rule for six months or until presidential and parliamentary elections are held, according to a statement by the military council read on state TV today.
The move, which comes two days after the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, meets some of the demands of the anti-government protesters who demonstrated against Mubarak and the parliament and demanded constitutional reforms.
Given that the military had to forcibly remove protesters from Tahir Square to influence some measure of normalcy this morning, the protesters didn’t leave them much choice.
Ok so the people protested and wanted Mubarak out because he was dictator, so with the help of the military his ass is gone and now they’re a police state with no civilian control whatsoever…and this is better how?
The demonstrators showed up the next morning to clean up Tahrir square. They monitored the announcements by the military and kept up via Twitter real-time. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces has issued at least 5 statements so far.
The military has pledged to act as a caretaker government and hold elections on schedule, in September, a few hours after tweets from protesters that no timetable had been set. Military also have also begun the process of amending the Constitution. Initial reports of scuffles in Tahrir were exaggerated. Fauxtography by the Islamists being exposed by individuals. Polling on suggestions for the interim government and Constitutional amendments being handled by individuals through Googledoc 2. Assets of Mubarak family being pursued by individuals who post to a spreadsheet here. https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AiMUukRUspH3dFozMjdWWFp4QjRsWjJfY2NsT3NEaEE&hl=en&authkey=CO3lqogO#gid=0
http://twitter.com/sandmonkey
Success is by no means assured, but they’ve made a fine start. Yes, the situation is dangerous, but it is always dangerous to end a dictatorship. That does not mean that dictatorships shouldn’t be ended. This country has been operated in a state of emergency just like the old Soviet Union, 30 years, and the government went around chasing after liberals, newspaper editors, and reformers, as well as taking bribes and allowing some key families to amass amazing fortunes. The Muslim Brotherhood got its foothold by doing what the government should have done, and offering what amounts to government services.
http://www.hudson-ny.org/1877/arab-dictators-radical-islam
While it is true that “Egypt on a bad day is better than Iran on a good day”
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011212162526150718.html
It is also true that the present trouble grow in part from an Egyptian police that killed without consequence.
http://www.sandmonkey.org/2010/06/13/on-khaled-said/
If the military can maintain their promises and carry this through to a peaceful, democratic election in September AND the new government doesn’t fall under the influence of the likes of the Muslim Brotherhood, I believe that this situation will end up turning out for the better. However, the economic implications to the country could also plunge it further into chaos.
Basically, there are too many variables to make a good analysis at this time. We’ll simply have to wait and see, just like the Egyptian people.
The one solace that I have regarding this situation is that the Egyptian military has been strongly influenced these past 30 years or more by the US Military. We have had a presence there, and worked hard to instill core values into their military that mirror our own.
To a very large extent, all of that influence paid off these past weeks as the Egyptian military acted the part of peace-keeper, rather than a heavy hand of the state. There was no “Tianeman Square” event, no mass casualties, and the protests were, by and large, certainly more in line with those that supported Boris Yeltsin than the Iranian overthrow of the Shah.
I am willing to give the military a chance to live up to their promises and see what happens over the next few months. If they follow through and a new civilian government takes over, if the military returns to it’s cantonments and the government honors it’s treaties and commitments, then it may well be a sign that better things are ahead for the Middle East.
V/R
Once upon a time in a village in far away China, a fourteen year old boy got a horse as a gift on his birthday. All the villagers said, “Wow, that’s great.” But the Zen master said, “We shall see.”
Some months later as the young boy rode up the hill, he fell down and broke his leg. All the villagers said, “That’s terrible.” “We shall see,” smiled the Zen master.
A few years later all the young men in the village had to go to war. But because the young boy had a bent up leg, he couldn’t go. All the villagers said, “This fellow is lucky.” “We shall see,” replied the Zen master.
I’m tending to agree with the view that those Egyptian government officials and legislators who’ve been fired were part of Mubarak’s circle of cronies. Thought process goes: if one member of the circle is removed (Mubarak), the circle is not broken, only smaller. To break the circle of corruption, one must remove all elements of power.
We’ll see soon enough if the American-trained military honors its statements.
Sorry, but there are just too many similarities (both here and abroad) between 1979 and 2011. Even the dipshits in the media don’t recognize it since it doesn’t fit their cute little molds.
I’m with you, Tim.
Tim-
From your lips to God’s ears!
I would be more optimistic if they had something like the Society of Cincinnatus. Since they don’t and Arab militaries are notorious for using crisis to take over. . .
Less optimistic
I like your Zen, streetsweeper. Keep it up.
Let’s face it, all the points here are good ones. Let’s hope, for Egypt’s sake, that the Egyptian military will honor their promises and hold the country steady until elections can be held.
I dunno PN. Call me zenical.
🙂