Coup? What coup?

‘Coup d’etat: a violent or illegal seizure of power’.

 

Well, it was certainly that but Obama can’t say so otherwise he would have to cut off aid to the Egyptian military. And Hague can’t either  without the OK from Obama.

 

But there is another way of looking at it, so we need to understand the causes.

 

Amongst many grievances, one action was pivotal. That was when Morsi decided to become another Phony Pharaoh and place himself above the law, creating an elective dictatorship. Meddling with the constitution began early in his term. This was when his approval ratings started to go south quickly.

 

Since then he has broken every promise and generally screwed up.

 

Unemployment has rocketed by about 50%.

 

Foreign  reserves have fallen by about the same.

 

Government debt has climbed along with the cost of servicing the debt.

 

He did nothing about the ruinous fuel subsidies which prevents Egypt from importing its full needs. This has led to chronic diesel shortages in particular. Diesel not only drives most vehicles bit also the multitude of water pumps that are vital for farm irrigation. This has cost Morsi his erstwhile support in the rural areas.

 

Lack of urgent economic reforms has left a $4.8 billion IMF loan suspended in limbo.

 

He has turned a blind eye to violence and murder against minorities, including the bestial lynching of four Shia upon which Morsi made no comment.

 

The rule of law is in a state of collapse.

 

He has offended both his erstwhile friends, such as Saudi, and the military by cuddling up to Iran and other ‘hostiles’. This has resulted in the suspension of aid from the Saudis and the UAE.

 

He started to convert Egypt into an Islamist state, which it has never been and which is totally unacceptable, especially amongst the urban elites.

 

He inserted MB placemen into most positions of importance, including Provincial Governors who ought to have been elected. The major tourist resort of Luxor had imposed upon it a hardline Islamist who was connected with the massacre of 67 foreign tourists in 1997.

 

When a survey asked about Morsi’s good decisions, a vast majority said ‘None!’.

 

So what were the Egyptians expected to do? Allow Morsi to turn Egypt into an Islamic basket-case. Yemen writ large’ perhaps?

 

The move against him was not initiated by the military. It was the younger generation. The military was the instrument, not the instigator.

 

A movement called Tamarod started a social networking sign-in for Morsi to go, to be published on his first anniversary. It collected 22 million signatures which must have represented a large proportion of literate Egyptian adults. The street protesters are said to have numbered some 14 million.

 

We tend to conflate ‘democracy’ (a system of government by the whole country), a political concept, with voting which is one but not the only process for achieving it.

 

Generals have not been installed to run the country .What has happened in Egypt is not so much a military takeover but more a massive exercise in people-power. Isn’t that what democracy is about?