AMU Homeland Security Intelligence

In Egypt: State of Emergency Declared

Brett Daniel Shehadey
Special Contributor for In Homeland Security

In Egypt, military backed government stays true again to its promise and breaks down the Muslim Brotherhood sit-in demonstrators. The media continues to highlight the death toll over 500 since and over 3,000 wounded since the military take over on July 3.

A state of emergency has been declared and a curfew from 7pm to 6am in Cairo.

Interim Vice President Mohamed El Baradei resigned, stating “decisions I do not agree” and “consequences I fear.”

Interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said, “We want to see a civilian state in Egypt and not a military state and not a religious state.”

The White House and much of Europe were highly critical of the decision to use force against the demonstrators and supporters of Morsi. Turkey’s Prime Minister called for UN Security Council to resolve the crisis. But Egypt has already politely rejected American, European, and outside diplomacy of Muslim nations with its own internal affairs.

The question is, what happens to the state of Egypt now, after Wednesday? The Brotherhood returns to the status of outlaw that it carried for 85 years, in spite of a brief sojourn as it took the Presidency. Clearly they missed the mark but the military is also missing the mark. A political solution is needed along with the appropriate measure of force. Not only is the Brotherhood gaining internationally sympathy and new, more radical leaders are likely to emerge, but domestically they are gaining more recruits- a movement that thrives under persecution is not a movement to persecute clumsily. Now they gradual appear as the “bad guys” in front of the cameras. A good victory is image.

The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) and the Interior Ministry are using coercive force and operations and tactics over sound political strategy. They are already in power. Ex-President Mohamed Morsi is locked away in an undisclosed prison. The Muslim Brotherhood leaders are detained. Yet, they military backed government will create more enemies than friends as this unnecessary persecution continues and atrocities are drawn out. Another nationwide protest is scheduled for today, in spite of the loss of ground for the Brotherhood and the state of emergency. More to follow.

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