No Results in Sight, Egyptians Wait and Protest

Pro-Junta Papers Warn of 'Massacre of the Century' After Results Released

Thursday was supposed to be the day the results of the Egyptian election were released, but the junta has delayed them until at least Sunday, and instead the public continues to protest against the junta’s new edicts and the closure of parliament.

A Thursday of protesting will give way to an even bigger series of protests in Tahrir Square on Friday, and of course more waiting for the results of the election, and a president who will be the only elected official left after the dissolution of parliament.

Debates continue over last weekend’s edict, in which the junta claimed legislative power for itself, and people are still trying to flesh out exactly what sort of government the junta is envisioning will arise out of it.

It seems increasingly clear that the Muslim Brotherhood isn’t part of the plan, however, nor is its presidential candidate, Dr. Mohammed Mursi. Pro-junta news outlets have begun releasing a series of newspapers condemning the Brotherhood, which had the largest plurality in parliament, as “Mursi’s Gang” and are warning of the “massacre of the century” when the results are actually released, regardless of who actually wins. The papers insist Mursi and the rest of the brotherhood’s leadership are plotting against the “rightful government” of Egypt, which they imply is, and will be, the military junta.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.