This is not 1776. The opposition does not come by sea from a land across an ocean. This is not a humiliating experiment. They do not want Mubarak back again. They know what they want and Mursi has allowed his administration to be dominated by extremist policies in some instances. He scared them and they are worried.
Egyptians are fairly sophisticated folks. They know what their democracy looks like and they aren't there yet.
The flag bearing helicopters has been used before. I don't want to raise doubt the Egyptian military will carry out every word they promise. I am sure that is the case.
This is a picture of January of 2012 in Iraq. (click here)
This is more or less a symbol in the Middle East with many new democracies. The Egyptian military is using a symbol that is becoming standard to express 'we are the peoples military,' not the dictator's military.
The new democracies are more or less catching up with their experience. Up to recently their experience with democracy was through the understanding of those placed by The West to assist basically in oil economies. Egypt is the exception. Egypt does not have an oil economy as does Saudi Arabia or Iraq or Libya. And Saudi Arabia is different, along with Jordan, in that they still believe in their royal families and the benevolent nature of that royalty.
But, for the burgeoning democracies in these nations it is still a matter of 'getting it right' and it is not easy. There are many power struggles inside a democracy. It was somewhat predictable the best organized group before the fall of Mubarak would become the dominant leaders in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood was exceptionally well organized. They have a controversial name and practice controversial policies within their organization, but, Mursi was not intent on extremism when he was elected. He is fairly educated and savvy about global affairs. Unfortunately, he has not been able to sustain a productive economy. There in lies a huge problem. People will tolerate much of what does not please them for a period of time to the next election, however, not if they can't have an economy that will sustain them.
It is the economic strife in Egypt resulting in this movement, not really the policies or politics AT THIS POINT.
Libya is a different issue as is Iraq, Syria and somewhat Jordan now. They are all different. The other nations in Africa, primarily northern Africa are struggling with their internal problems as well. And then there is Somalia and Yemen. They are all different. Some with economic problems greater than ethnic hostilities and vice versa.
But, this is Egypt's new democracy. It hit a huge bump in the road.
(Reuters) - Egypt's army (click here) has plans to push Mohamed Mursi aside and suspend the constitution after an all but impossible ultimatum it has given the Islamist president expires in less than 24 hours, military sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
Condemning a coup against their first freely elected leader, tens of thousands of Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood supporters took to the streets, clashing with opponents in several towns. But they appeared to be dwarfed by anti-government protesters who turned out in their hundreds of thousands across the nation.
Troops were on alert after warnings of a potential civil war. Seven people died in fighting in Cairo suburbs and hundreds were wounded in the provinces.
Mursi defied a demand by the armed forces chief on Monday that he agree to share power with his opponents within 48 hours or have the generals take charge. Calling the army statement misleading and divisive, he said he would stick to his own plan....
Egyptians are fairly sophisticated folks. They know what their democracy looks like and they aren't there yet.
The flag bearing helicopters has been used before. I don't want to raise doubt the Egyptian military will carry out every word they promise. I am sure that is the case. This is a picture of January of 2012 in Iraq. (click here)
This is more or less a symbol in the Middle East with many new democracies. The Egyptian military is using a symbol that is becoming standard to express 'we are the peoples military,' not the dictator's military.
The new democracies are more or less catching up with their experience. Up to recently their experience with democracy was through the understanding of those placed by The West to assist basically in oil economies. Egypt is the exception. Egypt does not have an oil economy as does Saudi Arabia or Iraq or Libya. And Saudi Arabia is different, along with Jordan, in that they still believe in their royal families and the benevolent nature of that royalty.
But, for the burgeoning democracies in these nations it is still a matter of 'getting it right' and it is not easy. There are many power struggles inside a democracy. It was somewhat predictable the best organized group before the fall of Mubarak would become the dominant leaders in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood was exceptionally well organized. They have a controversial name and practice controversial policies within their organization, but, Mursi was not intent on extremism when he was elected. He is fairly educated and savvy about global affairs. Unfortunately, he has not been able to sustain a productive economy. There in lies a huge problem. People will tolerate much of what does not please them for a period of time to the next election, however, not if they can't have an economy that will sustain them.
It is the economic strife in Egypt resulting in this movement, not really the policies or politics AT THIS POINT.
Libya is a different issue as is Iraq, Syria and somewhat Jordan now. They are all different. The other nations in Africa, primarily northern Africa are struggling with their internal problems as well. And then there is Somalia and Yemen. They are all different. Some with economic problems greater than ethnic hostilities and vice versa.
But, this is Egypt's new democracy. It hit a huge bump in the road.
CAIRO |
(Reuters) - Egypt's army (click here) has plans to push Mohamed Mursi aside and suspend the constitution after an all but impossible ultimatum it has given the Islamist president expires in less than 24 hours, military sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
Condemning a coup against their first freely elected leader, tens of thousands of Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood supporters took to the streets, clashing with opponents in several towns. But they appeared to be dwarfed by anti-government protesters who turned out in their hundreds of thousands across the nation.
Troops were on alert after warnings of a potential civil war. Seven people died in fighting in Cairo suburbs and hundreds were wounded in the provinces.
Mursi defied a demand by the armed forces chief on Monday that he agree to share power with his opponents within 48 hours or have the generals take charge. Calling the army statement misleading and divisive, he said he would stick to his own plan....
