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What's next for Egypt?
Q&A with Christiane Amanpour
By Samuel Burke
What’s next for Egypt?
I think what we’re seeing is a challenge by the new President Mohammed Morsy to the military and, frankly, what is considered to be the military’s hijacking of democracy. The idea of declaring invalid so many of the parliamentary elections, to basically dissolve parliament, is counter to a free electoral process. This week Morsy confronted the military in a quiet way by reconvening parliament just for one hour to try and get the parliamentary ball rolling again. The court again came out and said that their decree stood and that there needed to be new elections for a new parliament.
Will Morsy have a violent clash with the military?
My belief is that Morsy will not go toward a full-scale confrontation with the military. That’s in nobody’s interest. Most certainty not in his interest, nor in the interest of Egypt. His struggle is more likely to take place on the political chess-board, rather than by calling for protest in the streets.
For the next few months, who is in charge of Egypt? SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) or Morsy?
It’s very unclear frankly. In the next months we’ll see this play out. Morsy’s people are saying that the U.S. needs to step up to the plate. They’re saying the U.S. needs to give a robust defense of democracy. And they say the U.S. must place conditions on the very generous aid it gives to Egypt – specifically the aid to the military and SCAF-that are linked to reform and respect for the democratic process. The U.S. is faced with deciding who their friends are in the region: supporting the democratically elected president and parliament, or hedging its bets and supporting the military. The U.S. has deep ties with the military, because for many years it represented stability, peace with Israel and a barrier to radical Islamists taking over. What the U.S. decides to do is incredibly important because it directly affects what happens on the ground in Egypt.
Are we going to learn more about SCAF and see them in the media?
They’re quite secretive and don’t give interviews. Certainly the hierarchy of SCAF is known to the Pentagon and to U.S. officials. They have meetings and joint exercises. The U.S. gives $1.3 billion in aid – so SCAF is very well-known to those who deal with them, including of course Field Marshall and Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi. But he doesn’t often speak publicly , except to issue decrees through the state media. It’s not a very democratic process, although the military portrays itself as the protector of Egypt’s stability, its standing and its democracy. When Mubarak stepped down, I said that the people have traded a military-backed regime for a military regime.
Do you think Morsy will implement strict Islamic laws?
Morsy comes from the Muslim Brotherhood, but it’s very significant that he decided to make a statement by resigning from the Muslim Brotherhood and their political wing when he was named president. He told me there is no such thing as “Islamic Democracy” – only democracy. He told me is going to be president for all Egyptians: men, women, Christians and Muslims. And I think hearing him say all this is fundamental, and key to how this chapter in Egypt’s history is going to turn out. We’re all still waiting to see. But there’s no doubt that Islam will play a huge role in that part of the region for a generation. The question is what kind of Islam?
You lived through an Islamic Revolution in Iran, and now you’ve just come back from reporting in Egypt. Any similarities?
NONE. No similarities whatsoever. When Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran, it immediately became a fundamentalist Islamic theocracy. Women were immediately put under the veil, Sharia law immediately replaced civil law. The road map was clear.
I see Egypt’s hope and future lying in more of a “Turkish solution” – Islamic flavored democracy. I think that’s certainly what many people hope for. But I do see worries amongst the people in Egypt – the country’s elite, the Coptic Christians and the business class. The country is split. 48% voted for Ahmed Shafik, who was part of the old Mubarak Regime. That’s something Morsy must to take into account.
Morsy made Saudi Arabia his first official foreign trip. This is very significant signal. Saudi is worried about the rise of Islamism especially in an old ally like Egypt. Morsy assures them he is not out to export revolution.
Christiane Amanpour is the host of CNN International's Amanpour program & ABC's Global Affairs Anchor
@camanpour on Twitter
Thank you, Christiane, for you insight to the current issues concerning Egypt. As a contract worker and often working in the Middle-East, it is important that I have accurate information concerning the stability of the governments in the region.
Yes, thank you Ms Amanpour.
Nice to hear from a REAL reporter, as opposed to hysterical radio talk show hacks.
It's realty amazing how US change its propaganda from far right to far left in just 48 hrs....Personally I met a reporter from Washington post in front of our parliament in Egypt and I discovered that he know nothing about Egypt...e was completely in mess...I laughed for an hour...at last I told him ...pls Mr. Washington post reporter tell Mr. " DON'T ASK DON'T TELL " OBAMA TAKE YOUR LOUSY HANDS OUT OF OUR REGION...TELL MR. OBAMA THAT WHENEVER HE SEND HIS CLINTON WHENEVER PPL ASK HER ABOUT MONICA LEWINSKY DRESS......AND LAUGH...AND SHE JUST GET ANGRY AND RETURNED TO TELL YOU LIES.......VERY POOR AMERICA.................................
Os barões do Egipto não querem largar o poder Ora vejam bém o povo vai as urnas e elege um presidente do pais automáticamente o presidente tem poder legitimo sobre o seu pais Eu pergunto o que estão os generais a fazer no poder O povo do Egipto é um povo unido ainda bém boa sorte para o futuro do Egipto e Viva a Primavera Árabe
great insight...we rarely get informed by our newspapers in this manner
I think Morsy is going to get his way with Military,He's problem and concern should be how he is going to handle the communities "muslim and christains"
that soldier next to him looks ready to pull a pistol if he goes south on'em.
Factors;
1-Who is going to be in White House .
2-Iranian government future .
3- Egypt and the world will know what to do .
Why is everyone scared to mention Saudi Wahabi fanatics and the rise of the Wahabi doctrine all over the globe now?
I dont understand your comment at all about Saudi being afraid of Islamisms rise?????
It is Saudi who is EXPORTING the Promotion of the Niqab and the Virtue Police!!!
Egypt never was like that!!!
Egyptians who are poor working in Saudi come back with their heads filled with this fundamentalist nonsense.
Just look at that poor boy in Suez last week killed by the Saudi inspired Virtue and Vice Vigilantes!
You are right on the money! I hope American politicians understand and do the right thing instead of trying to be politically correct and in reality so wrong!
You have a mirror.....?...look to the ugly person there...maybe you will feel sick...hate is the most ugly disease ever....
With Muslim Brotherhood in power Egypt has only one-way to move, BACKWARD!!!
My dear Christiane, As you well know, in Islam, Shari'a trumps democracy (as it is generally defined in the West). One only has to read the MB charter to know what awaits Egyptians once Morsi has established his power base. While Morsi may have resigned from the political wing of the Brotherhood, make no mistake about it, he is a committed Islamist in the spirit of Qutb. In general, your report came from the shallow end of the journalism pool.
what's in store? Oh let's see: Sharia Law, deniel of human rights to women and girls. no educaton for females, they will continue to be treated worse then dogs, they will start a war with Isreal...oh so many things.
Sharia law denial of human rights....!!!!!!!!!...this cause an Egyptian spend 1/2 of his life to deserve a girl ... while in state it's more cheaper to get a girl than to get a choose.......human rights...?????.....
Go to youtube and type in "Capital of caliphate will be Jerusalem" to see what these folks coming to power have in store. If you think democracy is coming to Egypt you're naive or you still trust the MSM which makes you naive and lacking in common sense. That's not a good combination.
i got enough problems without worrying about a stinkin dust hole on the other side of the world. i can't beleive they were selling gas to Zion. i noticed as soon as the SHTF they found plenty in their stolen terriotory.
"military......................represented stability, peace with Israel and a barrier to radical Islamists taking over." and this is bad?
Yes, if it;s not what the POPLE want. It's called DEMOCRACY. Other countries are not there to please anyone other than their own.
Turkish Democracy = Commit Genocide and persecute minorities and then deny it all!
The US needs to step up?
I'm sick of hearing that line. We get tomatos thrown at us every time we do.
It sounds like a lot of uncertainty.
Ms.Amanpour!
You are half Iranian, right? Tell us all something PLEASE....HOW IN GOD's name Is Saudi Arabia scared of Islam??
Weren't 19 out of 22 Terrorist on September 11 from Saudi Arabia???
PLEASE eleborate!
Thanks!
yes 19 out of 22 where from Saudi Arabia.....guess what....96 out of each 100 ppl killed in wars in the world last 60 yrs...killed by Americans....in 60 diff countries.....Americans hate ppl of the whole world....So what you expect...meet you with candy...???...................
Salem... If you do not want to be killed don't start wars.
Salem, you have such hate it drips from your words, nothing can go forward with this type of reasoning. I am a Christain and find it impossible to understand, can you tell me please how many Christains and others strap themselves with explosives and destroy who families – think you will find its people like you that spread hate for the western world. I love Egypt and am sad that I will have to think twice before I travel there again I dont want to see Iran on the Nile in existence and worry for my many friends throughout the country.
The fact that 19 out 22 terrorists of 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia proves how REAL is the danger of fundamentalist Islam in Saudi Arabia... and how VALID are concerns of Saudi rulers regarding the danger of fundamentalist Islam. Is it clear enough?
if that true as the US to stop the relationship with the SA regime)) or Khadafi before, or Mubark until last year, or Pakistan, or India, or China or and or... people dont forget that we talk about money and control .. poor as me and u will kill each other during a battle because of our stupid global regime... we the global citizen who want peace have to take over now... we have to oblige the US to step-back and stop creating War, we have to kick our dictators in the Middle-east by our hands and peaceful way... we have be unified to fight against the Capitalist who controlling the planet economy and abusing us to create more and disasters... WAKE_UP the debate not about who is right and who is wrong , the debate should be how we will be safe and secure in the future if the global regime continue to act as Criminals ... Thanks, waleed
let them sorth there problem them selfs,okay?
I'm an Egyptian, and I can tell you for sure that Christiane (who is a great reporter) doesn't know what she's talking about. The Muslim Brotherhood is FAR from being peaceful or democratic. They keep lying and brainwashing the masses with their ideology, and pay money for poor people to vote for them. There will never be any peace or stability in the Middle East with Islamists in power. The US unfortunately is clearly biased towards the Islamists, and completely ignoring the secular parties which are honest in their promises of freedom and human rights.
I hope the US government wakes up and stop supporting the Islamists, or at least just BACK OFF and leave us alone, you are doing much more harm than doing nothing at all.
Sorry Hany, but the US knows very well what it's doing.
They are replacing secular governments with islamists governments to create instability.
This nuetralizes the country as a political and economic player in the region and eventually will lead to war that the US wants in order to reverse it's decline as a world power.
their would be a few hermit islamists if their was no Zion. when folks got a issue that ripe for protest it's going to be used typically?
The US is DEFINITELY NOT biased towards the Islamists but the US tries to deal with the RULERS of foreign states (democratically elected or otherwise). It is up to the people of those foreign states to chose who their rulers are. In Egypt the majority voted for the Islamist to become their President. Now the Egyptians will have to deal with the results of their choice.
and we know how to do that, the only Issue that we need the US to stop dealing with SCAF behind the back ...
Sorry poor Hany)), I am Egyptian too , and I am very wondering how do you see the US as saver ?? or protectors of Human rights?? if we inside of Egypt will not put hand with hand to save our rights Christians and Muslims , or any , nobody will do that for you.. Human rights are wonderful but who know them??? the minority rights are amazing but who apply them? the citizenship is fundamental rights for all humans, but who gave them??? The place we live today is full of injustice , inequality, corruptions, murders, rapers, etc .. but indeed we still have honest people who love it and want to save it ... the Muslim brotherhoods movement started ages ago and know how to control and work with the public, the secularism has been killed by the west themselves when they supported Israel to occupy Egypt 1967 ... the arising of Islamist is a natural process of missing of any other Ideological in Egypt.. The regime use and abuse the Muslim Brothers to control the country for decades ... there message is clear, Islamic state, since the begging and they will never change now or later... NO LIBERALS or other we heard their voice until Kyfaia came out in 2005.. but for decades we Egyptians never heard about them... so the people voted for the Muslim Brothers, NOW if they will not work, its our right to stand against them and put them out and elect a new regime(Democracy Hany).. so the space is open still and no one stop the liberals to work but THEY dont know from where they have to start ... ISNT ? thanks
What's next for Egypt?
WAR WITH ISRAEL
Jasmin... I sincerely hope that you're wrong and that Egypt will continue living in peace with Israel. But if you're willing Egypt to start another war with Israel DO YOU HATE EGYPTIANS THAT MUCH?
Jasmin, pray to as many Gods as you can that this will not happen, becuase this would mean world war not just Egypt/Israel everyone would be drawn in billions of people would be killed and for what? Because one fraction of the the world wants to dominate the rest?
Propping up the propaganda machine for Obama.
Nothing but bad news for the the minorities
Oh please, quit insulting people's intelligence with your spew on the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsy! Have you not heard the word TAQIYYA!!! Every word out of his mouth is TAQIYYA!!! He is an Islamist PERIOD! Get it?? You know The Relidion of Pieces! NOT PEACE! You should KNOW what the Brotherhood stands for!! Why do you think they were banned from Egypt!!! EVIL
I've lived in egypt for the past 28 years never had any worries until now!! Where does it say religion and politics go together?? I'm sorry but no country should be run by religion!! I don't care what he said after 'winning' not even one week into his presidency already making a song and dance!! Just wait and see if he gets the full power and scaf out you will see the next yemen and Iran materialize before your very eyes!! As for becoming like turkey, that really is a dream!!
Hello, and what do you think about the Idea of Jewish state the?? and what is democracy is ?? we need to learn more about politics ..lovely day
One of the most famous election Motto was ”Tomorrow Morsi will free Ghaza” Nothing can take e positive change unless they change the basis to be a real democracy. This then will include human/women rights, freedom of religion and speech, and a government based on those basic rights, able to rebuild the country.
The fact and reality in Egypt is, there are no woman rights, no acceptation of any believe exvept the islam, and even there only for the Suni. Nu human rights, as anybody can be catched and locked up for any reason, and nobody will ever see him again.
America should know that its agent and that the traitor had died the other lying in the cell begging for sympathy
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