Egypt army chief warns state could collapse

[No Elephants]

Jan 29, 7:09 PM EST

Egypt army chief warns state could collapse

By MAGGIE MICHAEL and LEE KEATH
Associated Press

PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) -- Residents of this Mediterranean coastal city burying their dead from Egypt's wave of political violence vented their fury at Egypt's Islamist president and the Muslim Brotherhood on Tuesday, demanding his ouster and virtually declaring a revolt against his rule, as the head of the military warned Egypt may collapse under the weight of its turmoil.

Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi' strongly worded comments, his first since the crisis began, appeared aimed at pushing both sides in Egypt's political divide to reconcile and find a solution to the rapidly spreading protests and riots across much of the country the past six days.

But his breaking of his silence falls heaviest on President Mohammed Morsi, who has been unable to contain the unrest by trying a tough hand, as protesters defied his declaration of a month-long state of emergency and curfew in Port Said and two neighboring cities.

At least 60 people have been killed and hundreds injured since Thursday in clashes between police and protesters angry over what they call Islamists' moves to monopolize power and failure to address the country's multiple woes. In his comments, el-Sissi signaled the military would not move to put down protesters, saying troops are in a "grave predicament," forced to balance between "avoiding confrontation" with citizens and protecting state institutions.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_EGYPT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-29-19-09-27

Is the Egyptian military to English translation of this, "If you don't stop protesting, we will have no choice but to impose martial law in order to save poor Egypt from its citizens?"

God, I hope not.

Meanwhile, bear in mind, we train their military leaders at West Point, right beside our own.

Thing about that next time you are are tempted to compare Egypt to a banana repubic. Or the next time you post about how we should "take to the streets" over this policy or that.

[Enthusiast]

1. On this issue I don't trust any information source

to be free from manipulation and deception. ANY information source.

I feel bad for the more progressive elements of the population. They have seen Western society, they know the difference. Not that we are any longer a model of democracy in the U.S.A. But, still. At least women here are allowed to express themselves, marry or not, remain free of genital mutilation, have an opinion and wear a variety of clothing.

[No Elephants]

2. Maybe.

What most Egyptians, the ones who don't get to attend West Point or an Ivy League University, have seen of Western society has been colonization by the British and the French, the Balfour Declaration, and bombs. As one Arab said, "Whenever Israeli planes bomb us, we look up and see 'Made in the U.S.A.'"

And, if you ask the average Egyptian Muslim woman, she will say it's her choice, freely made, to cover or not; and she prefers to cover. At least that is what the Egyptian and other Muslim women I have seen interviewed on TV all say.

In 1980, my family took a trip to Egypt. Between Cairo and Luxor, we there for about a week. We stayed at four hotels.

I saw only one woman who was covered. She begging from tourists in the Cairo marketplace. She looked like a widow, but that could have been an act. She was older, and all covered from the top of her head to the top of her feet in a heavy black fabric. In August. In Cairo. It's a wonder that she did not expire of heat prostration before my eyes.

Women I saw commuting to work, or working were all in Western dress and totally without any head or face covering. They were not wearing mini skirts, but their skirts were shorter than mine, which, circa 1980 were relatively long, as was the fashion in the U.S. at the time. I don't know how they were persuaded to go back in time, but apparently they were.

An Egyptian man will say the same thing--it's up to each individual woman. At least, that is what the Egyptian man who works in the building in which I live says.

Apparently, that is the meme and I think many Muslim men and women may actually believe it.

On the other hand, they do love our celebrities and lifestyle, while at the same time hating that our movies, music, etc. corrupt Muslims.

It's complicated, to say the least.