Egypt, the second act

The Egyptian military’s decision back in February to side with protesters and smooth the way for Hosni Mubarak’s exit was a cause for celebration at the time.

But as Egypt makes it’s way from dictatorship to something news, the military has become an impediment, holding power and demanding a central role in creating a new constitution.

For democracy advocates, this leaves Egypt at a crossroads, with the army representing stability and democracy advocates offering the unknown.

The end result is far from certain. Stability, as observers of Russia post-Communism well know, is an attractive option in troubled times. If Egypt is to continue on the road to democracy, it will need commitment from advocates and arms-length support and no interference.

It is tempting to try to turn events to advantage, but doing so nearly always backfires and blowback ensues.

Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet