Linked below are two important essays on the Egyptian coup. In the first, Esam Al-Amin, one of the most astute observers of the Arab Spring, provides a thorough background on the Egyptian politics, the Muslim Brotherhood's litany of mistakes, and the emerging role of Islamic parties in the evolving thrust toward democracy in the Arab world, not to mention the counterrevolution. Note particularly Al-Amin's concluding remarks (highlighted).
The second by Barry Lando is short but excellent analysis of the Egyptian deep state and the pervasive economic influences of its military. The nature of the deep state (a term used by Turks as well as Egyptians) is very important to understanding politics in Egypt but also, one could argue, to an appreciation of the peculiar nature the emerging American variant, as revealed by the NSA surveillance scandal, not to mention the increasingly unaccountable power of the military – industrial – congressional complex (MICC).
Chuck Spinney
Bastia, Corsica
In Egypt the Military is Supreme
Egyptian Military: a State Within a State
Phi Beta Iota: It is naive to think that any so-called democracy replete with deep corruption — such as one finds in the USA as well as elsewhere — is in a position to teach anyone anything about true democracy — participatory democracy based on ethical evidence-based decision-support for all of the people all of the time. US foreign and national security policies are arrogant, ignorant, hypocritical, and never based on the facts that matter. As a general rule, two thirds of the money spent in our name (half borrowed in our name) disgrace the Republic and destabilize the world rather than advance the concept of prosperity with peace. Most interesting to us this morning is the direct comparison to the USA and NSA as being all too similar to Egypt in its pathologies.
See Also:
Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Corruption 2.0
Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Democracy Lost & Found
