(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Since Morsi’s election, the Egyptian people have been eagerly awaiting pure revolutionary actions that can meet the demands of the revolutionaries and also fulfill the general expectations of other Muslim countries.
Morsi’s brave decision to oust Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi was actually the first practical step in Egypt’s long journey of transition from an archaic military system of governance to a fully democratic state. And the recent escalation of violence in the Sinai provided Morsi an opportunity to make drastic decisions.
The decision is also being viewed as a deconstructive move in regard to the country’s sociopolitical system. For decades, the Egyptian military was the ultimate source of power and the generals exercised full control over major economic and industrial enterprises. This also facilitated their access to incredible political power, which almost no one dared to challenge, even in the months after the victory of the revolution, which climaxed with Hosni Mubarak’s ouster on February 11, 2011.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which ruled Egypt until the election of the president, did its utmost to limit the power of the president and prevent him from becoming a threat to the vested interests of the military. The dissolution of the parliament on the eve of the presidential election and the Supreme Court ruling approving the junta’s amendments to the constitution before the new president took office were two clear examples of how the generals sought to maintain their interests in the new system.
Thus, Morsi’s recent decision actually deconstructed the entire system of privileges and illegal benefits enjoyed by the military over the years.
There was a significant response to the move, both inside and outside of the country. At the internal level, there was great joy and satisfaction among the revolutionaries. However, at the international level, Morsi’s decision is said to have greatly dissatisfied Western governments, especially the United States. From the very beginning of the uprising in Egypt, the West was very concerned about the security of Israel and how the new system would rethink the Camp David Accords.
Now, it is becoming more and more apparent that the new Egypt will no longer be the backyard of Israel and the United States. However, internal and external factors, including the remnants of the former regime in the military and the security apparatus, will continue to pressure the government to align itself with the West. This will create new challenges for Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood in the future.
Seyyed Morteza Nematzadeh is an expert on the Middle East who formerly served as Iran’s cultural attaché in Syria.
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