Egypt

[Fragony]

Only total idiots believed this was an Arab-spring. Leftist intellectualoco's, wrong as usual. No you pipesmoking beardrubbers who know, for a fact, that the muslim brotherhood is moderate. The muslim-brotherhood isn't all that moderate, yes they are indeed pretty extreme, who would have thought. Army is kinda fed up with Morsi and threatens to take things over, and I think they are pretty serious about it. Arab spring, lol, back to normal. Much better. Shoot the rape-squads first for me please. Take your country back from this monster, good luck and greets from the Netherlands mia muca's

[Fragony]

They sound pretty serious to me, they are ready to 'sacrifice their blood'. Quite a statement Morsi is done for, army is like a sword of Domaclus for any Egyptian ruler, they are the real power and they are very fed up with things if they put it like that. Good news for the normal Egyptians who only want to to have to worry about what's for dinner. Go army.

Oh and EU who was funding the muslim brotherhood, screw you

[Fragony]

Last time I checked, average Egyptians were still outraged that the Army had yet to meet many of the peoples' demands for reparations in regards to torture, illegal detention, that sort of thing.

Egypt is kinda behind on a whole lot more, having an islamist government kinda beats having to worry about that. It will still not be very nice but but this Morsi is worse. Complete idiot with a religion to boot

[Rhyfelwyr]

There seems to be something of a pattern emerging in these Middle-Eastern conflicts. On the one hand you have this secular regime/ex-regime and its backers in the army with a big history of all sort of human right abuses, and that was propped up by the US or various colonial powers. Then on the other hand you have what was traditionally the opposition, which tends to express its grievances in Islamist terms. I think these trends can be seem in Turkey, Syria and Egypt.

I wouldn't be too enthusiastic about what the army is doing here. I think power-sharing would be the best option to bring some stability, hopefully with Morsi seeing out his term. He was democratically elected after all - I hardly think that the West backing a secular military in a coup against an elected ruler is the best option.

I realise there is the conflict between the fact he is democratically elected, and the reality that some of his more religious-based policies are not in the spirit of a liberal democracy. But Egypt evidently still has a very socially conservative majority, and that's something we have to appreciate. Like I said in the Turkey and Iran threads - these young, secular, Westernised types might be very vocal since they have access to social media etc, but at the end of the day they are a small minority that are hardly representative of their societies. The goat-herders have to have a voice as well, or else they will look for one through other means.

[rvg]

So, looks like MoMo's presidency is done for.

*plays the world's smallest violin*

[Lemur]

I've said it before, I'll say it again:

Anybody who thinks they know where a revolution is going—much less where it will end up—is a fool.

-edit-

Here's a pretty good liveblog for those who have the interest and time.

[The Stranger]

Only total idiots believed this was an Arab-spring. Leftist intellectualoco's, wrong as usual. No you pipesmoking beardrubbers who know, for a fact, that the muslim brotherhood is moderate. The muslim-brotherhood isn't all that moderate, yes they are indeed pretty extreme, who would have thought. Army is kinda fed up with Morsi and threatens to take things over, and I think they are pretty serious about it. Arab spring, lol, back to normal. Much better. Shoot the rape-squads first for me please. Take your country back from this monster, good luck and greets from the Netherlands mia muca's

Tell us all-knowing, all-wise, Frag the Omniscient, tell us!

[Major Robert Dump]

yay for more gang rapes

[HoreTore]

Wow, what a shocker - Fragony has completely misunderstood why those intellectuals called it the Arab spring.

The revolution has begun eating its first children. Can't say I object to it, but hopefully they'll stop before they go completely France.

[Rhyfelwyr]

It's happened.

"The army is currently involved in a show of force, fanning out across Cairo and taking control of the capital, BBC correspondent Quentin Sommerville reports.

He described seeing eight armoured personnel carriers heading for Cairo University in Giza, where one of the main pro-Morsi demonstrations was being held."

EDIT:

Far too early days to know exactly what happened, but I think this is the last thing Egypt needs:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23161075

"Clashes broke out at rival protests across Egypt on Tuesday night, with at least 16 pro-Morsi protesters killed at a demonstration at Cairo University."

Cairo University being where the above article just said the army were headed. If all the dead are indeed on one side, that looks more like an atrocity than a combat situation.

[gaelic cowboy]

The Army has played it's cards very well an Morsi has played them badly, they can now safely remove him to pick a new leader like they did before with Morsi himself. (yes he won an election but only because he was allowed to)

The Army has always being the main force and any attempt to play silly buggers with them will fail.

[a completely inoffensive name]

As always it will be interesting to see how this develops because there is absolutely no reason for any outsiders to get involved.........right​?

[gaelic cowboy]

As always it will be interesting to see how this develops because there is absolutely no reason for any outsiders to get involved.........right​?

no there is no need it will be all over by the morning.

the interim government will declare fresh elections and the muslim brotherhood even if it wins will not cross the Army again.

[Fragony]

Wow, what a shocker - Fragony has completely misunderstood why those intellectuals called it the arab spring.

Nah, I perfectly understand that they are total idiots who will never understand that they just don't get it. Now that they were once again wrong, wrong as usual, absolute silence.

[Sarmatian]

I always support talking power from anything that has religious adjectives in the name. I'll take a secular dictator over a fundamentalist one any day.

So, I'm rooting for the army. Additionally, this may give Erdogan pause, maybe he'll be wary of his generals getting the same idea.

[The Stranger]

I always support talking power from anything that has religious adjectives in the name. I'll take a secular dictator over a fundamentalist one any day.

So, I'm rooting for the army. Additionally, this may give Erdogan pause, maybe he'll be wary of his generals getting the same idea.

What does fundamentalism even mean in this statement? Why is a ideology with a god worse than one without? Because thats about the only principal difference.

[The Stranger]

Nah, I perfectly understand that they are total idiots who will never understand that they just don't get it. Now that they were once again wrong, wrong as usual, absolute silence.

i wonder who you mean... are there any of them in this thread?

[a completely inoffensive name]

Nah, I perfectly understand that they are total idiots who will never understand that they just don't get it. Now that they were once again wrong, wrong as usual, absolute silence.

Oh wise Fragony-san, you enrage me so much on so many matters, but I am always impressed by your ability to take a terrible situation and so quickly cut it down to a consistent philosophy of "That's islam for you."

[Fragony]

Oh wise Fragony-san, you enrage me so much on so many matters, but I am always impressed by your ability to take a terrible situation and so quickly cut it down to a consistent philosophy of "That's islam for you."

Islamism isn't islam, A difference I don't mind making. You just can't read very well if you missed me making it

[HoreTore]

Nah, I perfectly understand that they are total idiots who will never understand that they just don't get it. Now that they were once again wrong, wrong as usual, absolute silence.

No, as the term was coined because it was the first (serious attempt to) overthrow of a particular batch of dictators who had ruled nearly unopposed for half a century. That is the significance of the Arab spring, it changed the rules. Now an Arab dictator can be overthrown. Just like the French revolution isn't important because it brought about "Freedom for EveryoneTM"(it most certainly didn't), but because it changed the rules by showing that a population can overthrow and chop the heads off of Kings.

It is truly unsurprising that such insights are lost on you.

[Fragony]

No, as the term was coined because it was the first (serious attempt to) overthrow of a particular batch of dictators who had ruled nearly unopposed for half a century. That is the significance of the Arab spring, it changed the rules. Now an Arab dictator can be overthrown. Just like the French revolution isn't important because it brought about "Freedom for EveryoneTM"(it most certainly didn't), but because it changed the rules by showing that a population can overthrow and chop the heads off of Kings.

It is truly unsurprising that such insights are lost on you.

I get what it meant but it's kinda off in reality no?

[Fragony]

Tell us all-knowing, all-wise, Frag the Omniscient, tell us!

Tada

[Fragony]

51 dead, hundreds wounded, Morsi calls for a revolt

I got beer, need popcorn.

GO ARMY knit some carpets with these beards I'll buy one