Comments on: Egypt’s still-unfinished revolution: celebration and danger

By: John Palmer

John Palmer — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 08:00:23 +0000

In my opinion this article is seriously wrong in giving even a partial and qualified welcome to the military intervention. This is VERY bad news for the Egyptian revolution. The precedent of locking up without charge or trial an elected President – Morsi – provides a wonderful precedent for overthrowing an elected socialist or progressive government in future (shades of Chile.) The massacre of civilian Brotherhood demonstrators by the army establishes another even more appalling precedent for the future when organised labour may want to take to the streets. Of course Morsi’s government was useless and reactionary. It was incapable of confronting the terrible economic crisis. A military regime with a civilian fig leaf participation will be much more determined to face that crisis – at the expense of the Egyptian workers and the poor.

By: Kai Grachy

Kai Grachy — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 22:33:56 +0000

Thanks Phyllis. Major differences now becoming very obvious.

The military played a clever hand. They don’t like the Brotherhood anyway, so what better context to get rid of them. Eleven million people on the streets – Morsi was finished anyway (though not necessarily without bloodshed). The military inserted themselves into the picture becoming both very popular and also curtailing and controlling the genuine revolution.

But I think you missed the major problem – which is not a lack of liberal ‘democracy’ but the weakness of all popular/ workers organisations. Without building these organisations ‘the people’ are overthrow one problematic regime with another. Popular representatives organisations are vital. The military have successfully diverted people from this task. But there are very important organisations there, and they need more support – at the least getting their voice out there.

Good stuff here:

http://menasolidaritynetwork.com/2013/06/12/event-mena-solidarity-activists-workshop-29-june/

By: Will Podmore

Will Podmore — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 11:15:12 +0000

The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood was elected on promises to develop a more liberal and secular Egypt. Instead, it promoted extreme, undemocratic Islamism. The people of Egypt, especially the more enlightened citizens of its capital city, resisted Morsi’s creeping fascism, and the relatively secular army assisted them to oust the new tyrant.
‘Our’ Foreign secretary William Hague of course opposes the army’s intervention, because Hague prefers Islamists, who can be relied on to oppose anything progressive. Egypt has taken a step forward.