‘The Day the Revolution Died’: Amid Protests, Egypt’s Military Makes Its Move
The Egyptian military issued a 48-hour ultimatum for President Mohamed Morsi to put an end to the massive showdown ongoing in the streets of Egypt between the opposition and Morsi’s supporters. The move was interpreted by many as the first stage of a coup, with the country’s military intervening against an elected Islamist government that has controversially held sway during Egypt’s current short fling with democracy. Here is what experts, journalists and local bloggers are saying about the situation.
Steven Cook, Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, says the military has always been angling to retain power.
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Juan Cole, a professor of history at the University of Michigan, calls out Morsi’s “arrogant and high-handed style of governing” on Truthdig.
Morsi, from the Muslim Brotherhood, represents the equivalent of the American Tea Party in Egyptian politics — captive to the religious right, invested in austerity and smaller government, and contemptuous of workers and the political left. In his first year in office, the nation’s first freely elected head of state has squandered Egyptians’ willingness to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has acted like the President of the somewhat cultish Muslim Brotherhood, rather than like the President of the whole country.
Middle East–based journalist Patrick Galey writes in his blog post “The Day the Revolution Died” that the military’s ultimatum is a step backward for democrats.
Read more: http://world.time.com/2013/07/01/the-day-the-revolution-died-after-protests-egypts-military-makes-its-move/#ixzz2XsPR9Ns1
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