Tens of Thousands Protest Military Rule in Egypt

Washington continues to support Egypt's military generals even as they've obstructed democratic progress

Tens of thousands of Egyptians protested in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday against the ruling military in a unified call to the generals to return control of the government to civilian power and prohibit ex-regime members from running in the upcoming presidential elections.

Both Islamists and the secular liberals that sparked the revolution over a year ago showed up to demonstrate the widespread anger at the Supreme Council of Armed Forces for their persisting grip on power and the instability they’ve caused in trying to sideline democratic processes.

“Down with military rule,” protesters in Tahrir chanted as and banners hung around the plaza denouncing candidates as “remnants” from Mubarak’s regime.

The military rulers recently barred ten presidential candidates from the election, including two front-runners, one in the Muslim Brotherhood’s party and the other Omar Suleiman, Mubarak’s former apparatchik. The U.S. is still sending billions of dollars in aid to Egypt and continues to arm the military rulers, even as they have brutalized peaceful protesters and inhibited a swift return to civilian rule.

Author: John Glaser

John Glaser writes for Antiwar.com.