Islamist claims victory in Egypt president vote

Just before the election, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has ruled since Mubarak's fall, slapped de facto martial law on the country, giving military police and intelligence agents the right to arrest civilians for a host of suspected crimes, some as secondary as obstructing traffic. Then came Thursday's ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court dissolving parliament, followed by the interim constitution declaration just after polls closed Sunday following two days of voting.

According to a copy of the document obtained by The Associated Press, the generals would be the nation's legislators and control the budget.

The president will be able to appoint a Cabinet and approve or reject laws. Notably, the declaration prevents him from changing the make-up of the military council and gives Tantawi the commander-in-chief powers that previously went to the president.

The generals will also name the 100-member panel tasked with drafting a new constitution, thus ensuring the new charter would guarantee them a say in key policies like defense and national security as well as shield their vast economic empire from civilian scrutiny.

Under the document, new parliament elections will not be held until a new constitution is approved, meaning an election in December at the earliest. In the constitution-writing process, the military can object over any articles and the Supreme Constitutional Court — which is made up of Mubarak-era appointees — will have final say over any disputes.

"In freezing the SCAF's current membership in place and giving it such sweeping powers, the provisions really do constitutionalize a military coup," Nathan Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, said in an e-mail.

Earlier Sunday, the Brotherhood's speaker of parliament Saad el-Katatni met with the deputy head of the military council, Chief of Staff Gen. Sami Anan and told him the group does not recognize the dissolution of parliament, according to a Brotherhood statement that pointedly referred to el-Katatni by his title.

El-Katatni insisted the military could not issue an interim constitution and that the constituent assembly formed last week would meet in the "coming hours" to go ahead with its work in writing the permanent charter.

Still, the Brotherhood has no power to force recognition of the parliament-created constituent assembly, which already seems discounted after parliament's dissolution and is likely to be formally disbanded by a pending court ruling. Lawmakers are literally locked out of parliament, which is ringed by troops.

The generals, mostly in their 60s and 70s, owe their ranks to the patronage of Mubarak. All along, activists from the pro-democracy youth groups that engineered the anti-Mubarak uprising questioned the generals' will to hand over power, arguing that after 60 years of direct or behind-the-scenes domination, the military was unlikely to voluntarily relinquish its perks.

The presidential race was a bitter one.

Shafiq, a former air force commander and an admirer and longtime friend of Mubarak, was seen by opponents as an extension of the old regime that millions sought to uproot when they staged a stunning uprising that toppled the man who ruled Egypt for three decades.

Morsi's opponents, in turn, feared that if he wins, the Brotherhood will take over the nation and turn it into an Islamic state, curbing freedoms and consigning minority Christians and women to second-class citizens.

Trying to rally the public in the last hours of voting, the Brotherhood presented a Morsi presidency as the last hope to prevent total control by the military council of Mubarak-era generals.

"We got rid of one devil and got 19," said Mohammed Kanouna, referring to Mubarak and the members of the military council as he voted for Morsi after night fell in Cairo's Dar el-Salam slum. "We have to let them know there is a will of the people above their will."

But the prospect that the generals will still hold most power even after their nominal handover of authority to civilians by July 1 has deepened the gloom, leaving some feeling the vote was essentially meaningless.

"Things have not changed at all. It is as if the revolution never happened," Ayat Maher, a 28-year-old mother of three, said as she waited for her husband to vote in Cairo's central Abdeen district. She said she voted for Morsi, but did not think there was much hope for him.

"The same people are running the country. The same oppression and the same sense of enslavement. They still hold the keys to everything."

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[melpol12]

Images have to be cleaned, the military will appoint a general that claims to be on the side of the revolution, and parliamentary members will know the art of speaking with a forked tongue that pleases the rabble. Egypt's new leaders will be Devils in disguise, and the greediest will appear to be Islamic.

[forumcomments]

"The question now will be how a Brotherhood president will get along with the military generals who have ruled since Mubarak fell on Feb. 11, 2011 and who will still hold powers that can potentially paralyze Morsi."

The military rule has clearly stated they have the power and control of Egypt and don't recognize the current parliament or constitution. Even if the newly elected leader has a role at all it will probably be symbolic at best. This is setting up to be an us (citizens and brotherhood) and them situation. Will this country go in the direction of protests and then a possible civil conflict? We will have to see. The brotherhood appears to be politically astute in positioning themselves as the citizens choice and representation.

[karek40]

We supported Mubarak stepping down and now have a radical muslim group in control. We de-throned Hussein in Iraq guess what will take his place, we participated in taking down Gaddafi in Lybia, again what will take his place and we are supporting the overthrow of Assad in Syria and have no idea if the resistance is radical or not (Duh) Do you suppose those in our government are really as dumb as they seem or perhaps something else is driving all this.

[joe1022joe]

Well, Obama has succeeded. He helped the Moslem Brotherhood throw the pro-Israeli government of Mubarak out and install his co-religionists the Moslem Brotherhood in power.

How much more damage can this Indonesia-raised President (Barak Hussein Obama) do before we can get him out of office?

[joe1022joe]

Obama was born of a Moslem natural father. His mother then married an Indonesian Moslem who adopted Obama. At the age of two years old Obama was taken to Indonesia and lived in a Moslem world with a Moslem step-father until he was 11 years old. If the years between 2 and 11 do not constitute the formative years, what years do? By the age of 11 Barak Hussein Obama was a confirmed foreigner to the United States. No, he is not completely responsibile for the victory of the Moslem Brotherhood, but he sure helped it along.

[jerryomara]

Well I guess if the U.S. can not separate church and state how can we assume the rest of the world can sad. The day will come when religion will be a non entity.

[honest_pols]

SAD AND TRAGIC TO REMAIN IN GRIP OF RELIGIOUS DARKNESS AND FEAR MENTALITY

Some parts of our world have not yet emerged or evolved from the crippling/paralysing grip in which religion and religious thinking continues to hold them.

Should the Western Free World permit 'Democratic' Islamic self-determination, if such Democratic' Islamic belief ultimately guarantees bringing on The Apocalypse as holy Islamic duty?

If intervention in some far-off land(s) prevents danger, destruction, and mass-murder's assured arrival to our nations and to ourselves, aren't we justified to take necessary measures to prevent such scenarios?

LESSON TO LEARN AND RE-LEARN AS NEEDED
History demonstrates that what transpires in one corner of this orb,
is likely to follow into others, and often soon thereafter.

Constant vigilance is required in order to remain free!

[erick_z]

Could be a problem..

[melpol12]

Authoritarian regimes are needed to control an innate savagery in seventy five percent of Middle-East inhabitants. Removal of the Egyptian military will cause an endless blood path until responsible elements of a once thriving society are gone.

[1stlttightwad]

Hmm looks like slownews is now wealthydater. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

[Nikos_Retsos]

The Arab TV Network Al Jazeera reported at 6:00pm Chicago time that Mohammed Morsi was getting 60% of the vote, while Ahmed Shafiq was
showing a 40%. I hope when they announce the final results on Thursday, they won't pronounce Ahmed Shafiq as the winner. Most Egyptians believe that Shafiq will be elected with ballot stuffing, while voiding ballots and other corrupt tricks and manipulation of the ballot counting process will bury Morsi.

I hope those naysayers were wrong, and that the votes of the Egyptian majority is respected by the Egyptian military junta which controls everything, and which has been trying hard to keep the Mubarak regime alive by openly supporting Shafiq!

We are far from seeing democracy in Egypt any time soon. Actually, I don't see it happening at all because the U.S. and Israel strongly oppose it behind the scenes. I therefore see the Egyptian military junta retaining full control, and prevent any elected government from changing the standing internal and external policies of the Mubarak regime - or from taking control the Egyptian military as Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has done in Turkey.

Election in Egypt are 1/3 of Egypt's democratic cake. The other 2/3 of the cake stays with Mubarak's appointees, and with the Mubarak's Generals. What, then, happened to the Egyptian Arab Spring? Well, the U.S. used its clout with the Egyptian Military junta to abort it! The U.S. just couldn't stomach the possibility that another Iran may Sprout up in Egypt! Nikos Retsos, retired professor