The polls have closed in Egypt and the count is beginning, but with no elected officials in Egypt after the ouster of parliament Friday, the military junta has issued a new decree granting itself massive new levels of power and assuring the president, when one is named, will have no control over the military’s operation.
The early reports on the election are mixed, with the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) claiming that Dr. Mohammed Mursi has won by a wide margin, while others say that the vote count is quite close and coming down the wire.
Voter turnout was said to be quite low, with many assuming the vote would be rigged on Shafiq’s behalf, and the huge new power grab, granting the junta all legislative powers, seems to have made the results less important since the president will have limited powers.
Shafiq’s appointment would leave the military with a pliable enough figurehead, and would throw into question any revolutionary credibility Egypt has left by replacing long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak with a man who claims him as a “role model.” A Mursi victory might leave the military with a more antagonist elected president, but with broad enough power they hope to keep him making too many problems.
What da ya wanna bet Hillary & Co. keep Syria and Assad front and center and downplay what's happening in Egypt. Only a military kleptocracy and a dynasty that puts the crown before all could sell out the Arabs and recognize the zionist enterprise, so it's no wonder Uncle Sam supports Egypt and Jordan.
OOOOOOOOO,…………..OOOOOOOOOOOOO The powers that be, as in those on the take from the American taxpayers…….. OOOOOOO I forgot … Egypt's governance is all about some (I) country… Is it Italy…??? Ireland…??? Gim-mee a hint….!!!!!
Typo correction:
“…with the implication that its new powers are specifically to crush the inevitable pro-Mursi protests.”
Baloney. That’s only a lame excuse. It has nothing to do with pro-Mursi protest, but it has everything to do with nationwide protest against the military junta dictatorship.
Unless Egyptians come out protesting in droves, they would be stuck with military having all the powers no matter who becomes president. The dark side of coming out in droves is that hundreds if not thousands would be killed by MIC, which is no different from the US MIC.
Political power in Egypt comes from the barrel of a gun, and unfortunately western appointed generals now have the power.
THe president needs to create the largest police force in the world and begin arresting the top military leadership and hold their families until the military submits to civilian rule.
Panetta has all but given the Egyptian military the green light for a total coup, so I'm thinking the Egyptian people have only a few days to get themselves organized before the troops are ordered into the streets with shoot-to-kill orders for protesters.
The MB is Egypt's best hope for reform- and to show the world an Islamic state isn't necessarily a bad thing- but I have a sneaky suspicion that the US will be backing the generals no matter how brutally they treat the Egyptian civilians.
John, that is if MB doesn't become power hungry and make a deal with the military.
Egypt's revolution will not be finished until the US/Israel backed and financed military are removed from power. That will be a tough and protracted battle. Same as Hamas/Gaza elections in 1906 western powers will not accept a people's democracy and will make every attempt to kill a real people's democracy by what ever means.
There was no revolution in Egypt.
Let us stop talking nonsense.
In a revolution the army surrenders to the revolutionary forces. In Egypt the "revolutionaries" in Tahrir Square surrendered to the army. And those who romanticized Tahrir Square are responsible for leading many to their deaths needlessly. The same romanticism surrounds the Occupy movement; but since it lacks the militancy and concrete demands of Tahrir, it is largely harmless and treated with kid gloves by the authorities.
The military in Egypt remains firmly in control, and it is the cat's paw of the US, a heavily subsidized cat's paw by the way. The main lesson is that the actions of the US in the Middle East have nothing to do with democracy or with human rights. Anyone who believes that should join Human Rights Watch and contribute to them. It is almost as good as making a direct contribution to the CIA.
What took place in Egypt was an uprising and not a revolution John.
It was in other words a prelude to revolution, and you do a cruel disservice to all of the brave souls who stood together in Tahrir Sq, facing down the regime.
They did so in full knowledge of the likely consequences, being filmed by the world's media, giving their names and speaking out.
Their defiance was carried out in the name of justice, freedom and human rights; merely abstract concepts perhaps to those who have never been denied them.
The human right not to go hungry amidst plenty for example, which is often dependent on the right to organize.
And yes, there is a world of difference between what we saw in Egypt and the stage managed social destruction and imperial piracy which followed elsewhere in the region.
Here's the real thing again.
An uprising IS a revolution. All the same thing.
A revolution is a transfer of power from one distinct societal group to another. It can come about through an uprising, or even by a landslide election victory.
It appears that in Egypt many of the people who participated in the January 2011 uprising have turned their backs upon this current farce.
What took place in Egypt was an uprising and not a revolution John. It was in other words a prelude to revolution, and you do a cruel disservice to all of the brave souls who stood together in Tahrir Sq, facing down the regime.
Subsequent events appear to have borne out John rather than you.
Counter-revolution in Egypt — Paid actor Mursi new dictator of Egypt
Obama promised us a true Revolution, promised to overturn and reverse all the corruption done by Bush, instead he was a counter-revolution and a hundred times worse then Bush.
Likewise, Dr. Mursi overturned the Revolution started by all those mass protests, surely for by directing everyone’s energies toward the election process a counter-revolution took complete control and paid actor Mursi will now rule Egypt with a million excuses as to why he can’t change things in the slightest.
For the 51% most wealthy in Egypt, they ruled both Mubarak and Egypt, surely, and Mursi will be their front-man from now on.
Note: Mursi is a billionaire as in $1,000,000,000.00
I think we may have to wait and see what Dr Murci does before jumping the gun. He may make a deal with the military and become Mubarak Lite, in which case the revolution is dead, or he may fight the military by announcing that whatever military has decreed so far is against the wishes of the people and against the law—the law of the revolution.
If he has a good gift of gab, like Mr Obama, he can call on people to support him. He can attack and divide the military too: between a military that is sons of the hard-working Egyptians and a handful of Zionist-supported, generals who have no love for the people or their welfare, but for their own selfish interests.
Of course, I cannot guarantee that he would see the sun the next day.
Uprising — Revolution — Counter-revolution
A Revolution has one specific goal, to overthrow a government.
Whereas, an uprising could have any number of goals, secession, land reform, higher wages.
Whereas, a counter-revolution is used by a corrupt government to fool the people into thinking that a real Revolution took place and that justice reigns victorious.
If you ask me, from start to finish this whole fiasco in Egypt has been a counter-revolution. For Mubarak’s son was in line to be the next President, and the military junta wanted General Shafiq to have the honor.
Can we say Chile? This is another US paid anti democratic move. Is US going to put Egyptian junta under sanctions. I do not think so, since these guys have done exactly what their puppet masters wanted them to do.