Egyptian Unrest.

Original post by OedipusTheKing

Hopefully no blood will come of it. Egypt is a great country with a rich history and it would be a shame if this was damaged. However, Morsi does have to go. His abhorrent vision of a political Islam is not conducive to Egypt's future - not that I object to Islam, I just don't believe that any religion is in a position to mix with statehood.

He was fairly elected though. Whilst I'd much rather see a secular government if the people want an Islamist president surely they are entitled to that? Much of the opposition to Egypts government seems to be long term problems that can't be fixed over night, the economy and such.

Reply 3

Rhadamanthus

17

I was watching TV when Morsi was making his speech in front of the podium, with all the crowds egging him to go and him standing resolute. And I can remember watching the exact same performance by a different actor two years ago. Who said we don't learn from history? What is commonly termed the "Arab Spring" was not a sudden transition to democracy or embrace of democratic values at all.

Reply 4

Umar1

10

This is illegal.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 5

Aj12

OP

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23173794

Constitution suspended

Reply 6

These events are very troubling. Clearly the army has been manipulating the situation in the country - Al Jazeera is reporting suspicions about the power cuts and fuel shortages that have affected Egypt in recent months. The army have never wanted the Muslim Brotherhood to rule and it appears they have simply caused the masses to become angry and then seized their moment once they came out onto the streets.

One question is, who stands behind the army? The US and the EU have never really been happy that Mubarak was displaced, he was the US placeman there to keep Egypt quiet and supportive of Israel. It's difficult not to see great power manipulation at work here.

Like him or not, Morsi was democratically elected and it will be rather shameful to see the US and EU countries now letting it all happen and not being strongly critical of yet another military takeover in the country.

Reply 7

MostUncivilised

3

I am from the total opposite side of the political spectrum as Morsi, I can't stand Islamism, I'm atheist and centre-left.

But the fact is that this man was elected with an outright majority, he'd only had a year on the job, nothing he'd done was so outrageous as to justify a military coup. And those liberals in the Egyptian population who don't think that the military will want their pound of flesh are fools.

Removing Egypt's first-ever elected head of state was a grave mistake

Reply 8

Silent Witness

9

Original post by MostUncivilised

But the fact is that this man was elected with an outright majority, he'd only had a year on the job, nothing he'd done was so outrageous as to justify a military coup. And those liberals in the Egyptian population who don't think that the military will want their pound of flesh are fools.

Removing Egypt's first-ever elected head of state was a grave mistake

Original post by Fullofsurprises

These events are very troubling. Clearly the army has been manipulating the situation in the country - Al Jazeera is reporting suspicions about the power cuts and fuel shortages that have affected Egypt in recent months. The army have never wanted the Muslim Brotherhood to rule and it appears they have simply caused the masses to become angry and then seized their moment once they came out onto the streets.

One question is, who stands behind the army? The US and the EU have never really been happy that Mubarak was displaced, he was the US placeman there to keep Egypt quiet and supportive of Israel. It's difficult not to see great power manipulation at work here.

Like him or not, Morsi was democratically elected and it will be rather shameful to see the US and EU countries now letting it all happen and not being strongly critical of yet another military takeover in the country.

Exactly.

The moment Morsi forced the retirement of several generals, his fate was sealed. The military have since been looking for an opportunity to force him out of power, and to regain the strong influence that they had possessed for decades.

These protests posed a perfect opportunity for them to regain power, and they have shown their true face by placing Morsi under house arrest, and forcing several channels off air.

Anyone who hails the coup d'etat by the military must realise that any future President of Egypt will only become one with the approval of the military. Their hand will forever be in politics.

This is a replay of the Algerian situation, and it worries me greatly for the future of Egypt.

I just pray that Egypt and its people find their way safely through this troubling times.

Reply 9

Polka Dot

4

They should have stuck with mubarak and worked for change gradually. Revolutions never end well, they always tend to benefit the rise of worse tyrants and chaos.

Reply 10

scapepower

Morsi was a US puppet for Israel? I can't be sure.

All i know is, the true men that stand up to Israel like President Ahmedinejad and so on are labelled as evil and misquoted by the media.

In the hereafter, boy o boy you will see the men who had true noble and humane convictions elavated, and the men who compromised their morals for the sake of power and alliance disgraced , politically speaking.

So continue as you are, you wait, and we all too will wait

Reply 11

User414413

It will be interesting to how this plays out, I am not one for speculations so I'll refrain from making any. The Egyptian people are little too revolution-happy, it's not like they are living in a dictatorship. Morsi back down from expanding his power after protest from the people, why couldn't Egyptian people just put up with him and protest against specific policies like every nation does with their leaders?

Reply 12

Howard

5

They only voted for this guy in free elections about a year ago. He didn't tear up the constitution and impose a dictatorship so if the Egyptians didn't like how he is running the shop they could easily have voted for change 3 or 4 years down the road.

Having an army coupe just because the people suddenly decide they don't like the leader they put in office is really really bad for the country. Who in their right mind is going to want to invest in the country? This is truly terrible for economic growth, political and social stability, democracy and Egypt's future. Without any form of guaranteed stability the country will become a complete basket case.

Reply 13

Rovey

9

Original post by Fullofsurprises

These events are very troubling. Clearly the army has been manipulating the situation in the country - Al Jazeera is reporting suspicions about the power cuts and fuel shortages that have affected Egypt in recent months. The army have never wanted the Muslim Brotherhood to rule and it appears they have simply caused the masses to become angry and then seized their moment once they came out onto the streets.

One question is, who stands behind the army? The US and the EU have never really been happy that Mubarak was displaced, he was the US placeman there to keep Egypt quiet and supportive of Israel. It's difficult not to see great power manipulation at work here.

Like him or not, Morsi was democratically elected and it will be rather shameful to see the US and EU countries now letting it all happen and not being strongly critical of yet another military takeover in the country.

I see it differently.

Morsi was bought by the US and zionists and saudis, remember him flying the FSA flag the other week? No country in their right mind would recognise the FSA over Assad as the legitimate force in syria....

Reply 14

Original post by tc92

Raises an important question over the nature of democracy. Sky/BBC(one of them) had two people on debating it earlier today. Obviously Morsi was democratically elected; but any leader who oppresses his own people and denies them their rights and liberties has, arguably, ceased to be a democratic leader.

It was a military coup, rebel victory in a civil war, that brought Yoweri Museveni to power in Uganda and gave it a degree of democracy greater than that enjoyed in many other countries in the region, including Egypt. Military coups can lead to democracy, if the military are prepared to handover power at elections.

Morsi was constantly seeking to expand his own powers, which isn't the action of a good democrat. To be fair, it appears that Egypt is deeply divided and the army, for all their faults in the past, seem to be forced into the role of peacekeeper between the factions, albeit a peacekeeper lavishly funded by the US and used by them as part of their regional arrangements to secure Israel.

I think many of those in the crowd currently praising the army in Tahrir Square will live to regret it. The record is not good.

Reply 15

tsr1269

3

Original post by tc92

Raises an important question over the nature of democracy. Sky/BBC(one of them) had two people on debating it earlier today. Obviously Morsi was democratically elected; but any leader who oppresses his own people and denies them their rights and liberties has, arguably, ceased to be a democratic leader.

It was a military coup, rebel victory in a civil war, that brought Yoweri Museveni to power in Uganda and gave it a degree of democracy greater than that enjoyed in many other countries in the region, including Egypt. Military coups can lead to democracy, if the military are prepared to handover power at elections.

To date, I have not heard one condemnation from any Western nation in regards to this military coup.

However, in the Honduras coup of 2009, there was widespread condemnation from every corner of the world. But here? Absolutely nothing.

The hypocrisy stinks.

Reply 16

Aj12

OP

Original post by tsr1269

To date, I have not heard one condemnation from any Western nation in regards to this military coup.

However, in the Honduras coup of 2009, there was widespread condemnation from every corner of the world. But here? Absolutely nothing.

The hypocrisy stinks.

Egypt is a key player in the region, someone the West needs onside in a myriad of issues so it's not really surprising.

I have to wonder, the problems that brought the crowds into the street in the past week are longterm and difficult to solve, things like the economy, safety and things like that. So what happens when the new guy can't solve these problems? What are people going to do if nothing changes?

Reply 17

Original post by tsr1269

To date, I have not heard one condemnation from any Western nation in regards to this military coup.

However, in the Honduras coup of 2009, there was widespread condemnation from every corner of the world. But here? Absolutely nothing.

The hypocrisy stinks.

The White House and the British FO have said they should follow the path of democracy, but they're hardly acting outraged by it.

We need to remember that the US has been paying the Egyptian military more than $1bn a year to keep them onside. Obama is now making threatening noises about that money, but it certainly puts into perspective the role of the army there.

From a western perspective, Morsi probably wasn't as bad as they could have feared - he retained the treaty with Israel, which many had anxieties about if the Muslim Brotherhood were to seize power. Tony Blair made dire warnings about this when the Arab Spring first hit Tahrir Square. However, nobody in the US establishment will be shedding tears to see the back of Morsi.

What is depressing is the way democracy for the Arab world continues to be seen as something suitable when the US wants it (or at least, pretends it does) and to be hastily dispensed with when it doesn't. Apparently, Arabs aren't really like us, when viewed from Washington.

Reply 18