Egypt reformist warns of Morsi decree turmoil
CAIRO Prominent Egyptian democracy advocate Mohammed ElBaradei warned Saturday of increasing turmoil that could potentially lead to the military stepping in unless the Islamist president rescinds his new, near absolute powers, as the country's long fragmented opposition sought to unite and rally new protests.
Egypt's liberal and secular forces — long divided, weakened and uncertain amid the rise of Islamist parties to power — are seeking to rally themselves in response to the decrees issued this week by President Mohammed Morsi. The president granted himself sweeping powers to "protect the revolution" and made himself immune to judicial oversight.
The judiciary, which was the main target of Morsi's edicts, pushed back Saturday. The country's highest body of judges, the Supreme Judicial Council, called his decrees an "unprecedented assault." Courts in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria announced a work suspension until the decrees are lifted.
Outside the high court building in Cairo, several hundred demonstrators rallied against Morsi, chanting, "Leave! Leave!" echoing the slogan used against former leader Hosni Mubarak in last year's uprising that ousted him. Police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of young men who were shooting flares outside the court.
The edicts issued Wednesday have galvanized anger brewing against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, from which he hails, ever since he took office in June as Egypt's first freely elected president. Critics accuse the Brotherhood — which has dominated elections the past year — and other Islamists of monopolizing power and doing little to bring real reform or address Egypt's mounting economic and security woes.
Opposition groups have called for new nationwide rallies Tuesday — and the Muslim Brotherhood has called for rallies supporting Morsi the same day, setting the stage for new violence.
Morsi supporters counter that the edicts were necessary to prevent the courts, which already dissolved the elected lower house of parliament, from further holding up moves to stability by disbanding the assembly writing the new constitution, as judges were considering doing. Like parliament was, the assembly is dominated by Islamists. Morsi accuses Mubarak loyalists in the judiciary of seeking to thwart the revolution's goals and barred the judiciary from disbanding the constitutional assembly or parliament's upper house.
In an interview with a handful of journalists, including The Associated Press, Nobel Peace laureate ElBaradei raised alarm over the impact of Morsi's rulings, saying he had become "a new pharaoh."
"There is a good deal of anger, chaos, confusion. Violence is spreading to many places and state authority is starting to erode slowly," he said. "We hope that we can manage to do a smooth transition without plunging the country into a cycle of violence. But I don't see this happening without Mr. Morsi rescinding all of this."
Speaking of Egypt's powerful military, ElBaradei said, "I am sure they are as worried as everyone else. You cannot exclude that the army will intervene to restore law and order" if the situation gets out of hand.
But anti-Morsi factions are chronically divided, with revolutionary youth activists, new liberal political parties that have struggled to build a public base and figures from the Mubarak era, all of whom distrust each other. The judiciary is also an uncomfortable cause for some to back, since it includes many Mubarak appointees who even Morsi opponents criticize as too tied to the old regime.
Opponents say the edicts gave Morsi near dictatorial powers, neutering the judiciary when he already holds both executive and legislative powers. One of his most controversial edicts gave him the right to take any steps to stop "threats to the revolution," vague wording that activists say harkens back to Mubarak-era emergency laws.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in nationwide protests on Friday, sparking clashes between anti-and pro-Morsi crowds in several cities that left more than 200 people wounded.
On Saturday, new clashes broke out in the southern city of Assiut. Morsi opponents and members of the Muslim Brotherhood swung sticks and threw stones at each other outside the offices of the Brotherhood's political party, leaving at least seven injured.
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Who has a military , Morsi or Egypt ? assad in Syria has a failing military , but Morsi has no military other than the one on the pages of the constitution of Egypt which Morsi has just crushed with this deep brotherhood doctrine .
ElBaradie is a man of Egypt not of a group or movement or a religion doctrine of a twisted slant to impose its will on the entire Mid East region. An Egyptian should lead Egypt not a member of a brotherhood group that puts its doctrine at the forefront and puts Egypt and the Egyptian people behind the wishes of a doctrine of a few .
Take a look at the two men and answer the question , " which man is for Egypt and which man is for a group or movement " ?
It is very troubling when one leads a Nation under the desires of a mindset of a movement or group , on the other hand it is a blessing when a leader conducts the business of a Nation in the best interest of the people .
Morsi is joining a membership of failure , as history holds the records of those that leaded Nations under a mindset rather then under the desires of the people .
The Morsi's of the world are always seen as the way only to be revealed as the wrong way.
Be careful what you ask for because you might just get it.
This is why it was a mistake for the people of Egypt to elect a radical Islamist as President. He not only wants to impose sharaia law on his people but takes more and more of their liberties away. It would be better to allow the Holy Bible to be given out to people to be believed and practiced.
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Holy Moly (pardon the religious reference)
When are all the people of the earth going to realize that when someone attached to religion is a leader he is going to "answer to God" instead of the people....translated to mean whateverthehell he wants to tell you in god's or allah etc name.
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The "Obama apology tour" is a right wing MYTH - just like Romney's election chances had been. Four different fact check orgs have proven the first one is a myth and the election proved the second one.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2011/02/obamas_apology_tour.html
I see the "repeat a lire often enough" theory is practiced religiously by conservatives.
pure and simple
Does Morsi have a military , or does Egypt have a military ? Answer this and you will understand why Morsi will back track as the influence of Iran is not enough for Morsi to stand on to impose the will of the deep brotherhood desires .
Will Morsi continue this trend to end of next week and still be able to make a public presentation ? I would say that the impact he has made on the people of Egypt in the last few days would not support Morsi's talking point.
Morsi will re-word his statements , before other make a statement .
Same old story, just a different story teller.