Reflection 10

                                                                                Reflection 10

                Although there has been a lot of attention focused on the Israel-Palestine conflict, as the dispute that has been going on there is a focal point for the region, I plan on discussing something a bit more under the radar and has put one of the 2011 Arab spring movements civil society to the test, specifically the test of true unification.  

                “Tshe new President of Egypt Mohamed Morsi took extensive new powers for himself Thursday, freeing his decisions from judicial review and ordering retrials for former top officials, including ex-president Hosni Mubarak” (Washington post, Birnbaum). While international intentions are focused elsewhere, mainly the conflict in Israel and Syria, Morsi has made a power grab the likes of which the former president was toppled for. Morsi’s declaration came one day after brokering a cease-fire between Israeli and Palestine. The Morsi regime, a name which I thought hitherto inappropriate, however, my mind has been changed. The new president of Egypt is creating a sort of autonomous body, such as the Egyptian military has done, and been doing since the days of Mubarak. What this can do is turn what was once a sort of autocratic version of checks and balances with Mubarak on top the people at the bottom and a military controlling the ladder; now that Morsi has dismissed the higher ranks of the military, he has unprecedented power. Now there is a supposed time constraint on how long the powers of Morsi will last, but when is the last time a despot told the people who had just rebelled for a democracy that they would not get it? Another interesting thing that Morsi’s new powers allow him is the extradition of judicial review; no longer must people go through trial and no longer can the laws Morsi creates will not be subject to court’s rulings, basically he can do whatever he wants, in the interest of Egypt of course, much like the old regime. Although it seems as though the revolution is losing its momentum and that the autocratic regime is back with no or little resistance that is far from the truth, as the Egyptian will not allow such usurpations of democracy to be allowed.

                Although the people remain united in there want for a democratic government Muslim-brotherhood supporters have been demonstrating their support for Morsi though rallies, while many other Egyptians are protesting the newly found powers of the president. Don’t get it wrong both Islamists and secularists have been protesting the detestable power grab by Morsi, but only time will tell if the people are willing to unite in their cause against the regime and if the regime is willing to work with the people.