The Egyptian Military Speaks
"Those who think that we (the military) are oblivious to the dangers that threaten the Egyptian state are mistaken. We will not remain silent while the country slips into a conflict that will be hard to control.
"It is not honourable that we remain silent in the face of the terrorizing and scaring of our Egyptian compatriots. There is more honour in death than watching a single Egyptian harmed while his army is standing idly by."
General Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Egyptian army chief
But, in fact, this is precisely what Egypt's military is doing. It is also a reflection of what the police too are largely engaging in; nothing in particular. Egypt is conflicted as rarely before. Between forward-looking Egyptians who have a vision of their country approximating that of a more enlightened state, more secular, and socialist in nature, far less given to Islamist extremism. And between their Islamist counterparts who long for a more 'traditional' historical version of Islam and Sharia law to prevail.
The former is vehemently protesting against the increasingly autocratic rule of Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi backed by his Muslim Brotherhood party, and the creeping Islamicization of Egypt. That might perhaps have been slightly more palatable to Egyptians generally who are tired of conflict and uncertainty, unemployment and rising food prices. But the country's economic situation is dire, tourism is down, manufacturing as well, and food and heating and cooking oil prices are up, while unemployment rates are staggeringly high.
And, to exacerbate all of that, crime, particularly violent crime, much of it targeting women, is sky-high, and nothing has been done to address it. When Mohammad Morsi came to power he carefully and cleverly took steps to both befriend and defang the powerful military, beloved of the people, and accustomed to ruling for decades under former President Hosni Mubarak. He appointed a general he felt could be trusted to uphold the Muslim Brotherhood vision for the country, as its minister of defence.
But the country has fallen into a situation of grave dysfunction. Funding is sought from the World Bank but it insists that Egypt lower its federal operating costs, and specifically its traditional subsidies of basic necessities like bread and cooking fuel to poverty-stricken Egyptians. To do so would be to raise the ire of the people, risking larger riots at a time when the government is already in the cross-hairs of dissent and protest over mismanagement and instability.
Mass protests being planned by opponents of President Morsi for June 30, calling for his dismissal are certain to result in violence, particularly if they are confronted, as planned, by hard-line supporters of the president, vowing to "smash" their opponents. The Islamist supporters have declared the social-political opposition crowd to be comprised of infidels, clearly deserving of death.
The failure of the government to address the critical issues of surging crime rates, fuel shortages, power cuts and endemic unemployment, guarantees larger protest turn-outs. Fearing the potential of collapse of the state, the minister of defence, General Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, appears to be warning the government that his patience with the status quo is running out.
It is the patriotic and moral obligation toward Egyptians that motivate all decisions made by the military, he stresses. It is the responsibility of the military to intervene and halt Egypt from "slipping into a dark tunnel of conflict, internal fighting". Sectarian violence, the collapse of state institutions, would represent more than adequate reason for military intervention.
To avoid all of that he stated the obvious solution: "We have a week during which a great deal can be achieved. This is a call that is only motivated by love of the nation, its presence and future", he challenged. The belligerents, regime supporters and opposition, must struggle to reach a "genuine" understanding. Unlikely to occur.
Nor will the military itself any longer tolerate "insults" to the armed forces and its leaders, he said, referring to a number of derogatory comments indulged in by leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, with the military their target.
Labels: Conflict, Economy, Egypt, Human Relations, Islamism, Muslim Brotherhood
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, June 25, 2013
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