Muslim Brotherhood offices torched, Morsi on defensive

[WestVirginiaRebel]

France24:

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi defended his latest decree granting himself sweeping powers before supporters in Cairo as anti-Morsi demonstrators set fire to Muslim Brotherhood offices in cities across Egypt on Friday. By FRANCE 24 (text) As enraged demonstrators torched Muslim Brotherhood offices in several Egyptian cities, a defiant Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi defended his recent decree granting himself sweeping powers before a crowd of supporters outside the presidential palace in Cairo Friday.

"Political stability, social stability and economic stability are what I want and that is what I am working for," said Morsi. "I have always been, and still am, and will always be, God willing, with the pulse of the people, what the people want, with clear legitimacy" he said from a podium before thousands of supporters.

Morsi’s speech came a day after he issued a presidential decree stating that any challenges to his decrees, laws and decisions were banned.

Reacting to the decree, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday, responding to calls by Egyptian opposition leaders for a “million-man march” to protest against what they called a “coup” by the Islamist president.

Reporting from Tahrir Square, FRANCE 24’s Alexander Turnbull said the crowds started pouring into Cairo’s most symbolic square in the afternoon and that the numbers kept swelling as the Friday noon prayers ended.

________

 

Here we go again...

[Valin]

@WestVirginiaRebel

 

More Here

 

News Flash: Egypt’s Islamist President Assumes Dictatorial Powers

Barry Rubin

November 23, 2012

 

The French press agency headline says it all: “Egypt's [President] Morsi assumes sweeping powers, branded new pharaoh.” Mursi has issued a decree giving himself virtually dictatorial powers and contradicting the assumption that he—and his Muslim Brotherhood organization—intend to rule democratically. Opposition forces said this constituted a coup.

 

Mursi’s spokesman explained the decree in these terms: the president can issue any decree he wishes to protect the revolution. "The constitutional declarations, decisions and laws issued by the president are final and not subject to appeal."

 

It seems apparent this means to proceed toward the fundamental transformation of Egypt into an Islamist, Sharia-ruled state. If one views the 2011 revolution as a democratic one, then Mursi is destroying it. But of course he and the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists see it as an Islamist revolution, parallel to the 1979 Iranian revolution though in Egyptian terms, of course. Lest there be any illusions about what this means, note that Mursi is one man whose legitimacy is not established in practice--despite having won an election--and who cannot depend on the country's institutions to obey him. The power behind Mursi is not that he is president but that he has the support of the country's strongest group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and can generally count on the Salafists as well.

 

(Snip)

[Valin]

WH Concerned

 

 

[Pepper]

"Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi defended his latest decree granting himself sweeping powers"

 

Obama taking copious notes to see how this can be done here

[nickydog]

I've already been hearing talk of a third term.

[Pepper]

@nickydog

And the left wonders why ammo sales are going up.

[Valin]

Egypt’s Judges Slam Morsi Power Grab

Rick Moran

11/24/12

 

Egypt’s senior judges are suspending work in all courts and prosecutions until President Morsi’s unilateral decree that he is above the judiciary is reversed.

 

The judiciary is one of the last power centers of Mubarak-era government made up largely of members appointed by the deposed president.

 

(Snip)

Clashes also erupted on Friday between the two sides in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, the southern city of Assiut and Giza, prompting Essam el-Erian, a leading figure in the FJP, to condemn the attacks as “acts of thuggery hiding behind political forces”. While in Cairo, the two opposing camps gathered in large rival rallies. In a packed Tahrir Square, youths opposed to the decree fought intermittent battles with police firing volleys of teargas outside the French Lycée and American University. Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood meanwhile bussed in supporters from across the country to hear him address a rally outside the presidential palace in Heliopolis.

 

A brief recap of promises made by the Muslim Brotherhood in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Mubarak might be helpful.

 

(Snip)

[Rokke]

"WH concerned"

 

LOL. I believe that is the complete extent of their foreign policy. The beginning and the end. Powerful.

[Valin]

"WH concerned"

 

LOL. I believe that is the complete extent of their foreign policy. The beginning and the end. Powerful.

 

They have a foreign policy? I'm gonna need to see some proof on that.

[Rokke]

@Valin, Here you go.....