Egypt’s Military Is as Inflexible as the Islamists
Egypt’s Military Is as Inflexible as the Islamists
January 29, 2014
Here is an excerpt of an op-ed by Prof. Yoram Meital, chairman of the Chaim Herzog Center for Middle East Studies and Diplomacy at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
The New York Times — Three years after the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak by a heroic civil uprising, the struggle over a new political order has led to unprecedented polarization of society, a sharp deterioration of homeland security and an economy that is struggling. After toppling Mohamed Morsi last July the military branded his Muslim Brotherhood allies terrorists and charged the group’s leadership with serious crimes.
Prof. Yoram Meital
Seeing the Brotherhood as a common foe, even many liberals have supported this policy as a temporary delay of their dreams of democracy. The wave of terrorism currently striking Egypt increases support for military involvement in managing the affairs of the state with Field Marshall Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi seen as the forerunner in the coming presidential election.
If elected, he would face not only a variety of acute internal problems but also a coalition of opponents, including supporters of the Brotherhood and parties that helped overthrow military rule three years ago.
This coalition is indeed fractured, but united in their vehement objection to the involvement of the army in the political process. In their eyes the rise of the Sisi to power represents the return of the despicable authoritarian regime.
Egypt is crying out for stability, but the prerequisites for its achievement are national reconciliation and inclusive policies. Sisi and his supporters have engaged in uncompromising struggle against their political opponents, a stand as inflexible as their Islamist rivals.
Read more on The New York Times website >>
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