What next for North Africa/Middle East?

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Although at least the Egyptians have managed to overthrow one aging pro-western General, and replace him with another aging pro-western General.

And again.....


Cairo (CNN) -- Egypt's highest court declared the parliament invalid Thursday, and the country's interim military rulers promptly declared full legislative authority, triggering a new level of chaos and confusion in the country's leadership.

The Supreme Constitutional Court found that all articles making up the law that regulated parliamentary elections are invalid, said Showee Elsayed, a constitutional lawyer.

The ruling means that parliament must be dissolved, state TV reported.

Parliament has been in session for just over four months. It is dominated by Islamists, a group long viewed with suspicion by the military.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in control of the country since Mubarak's ouster, said that it now has full legislative power and will announce a 100-person assembly that will write the country's new constitution by Friday.

vivatifosi

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in control of the country since Mubarak's ouster, said that it now has full legislative power and will announce a 100-person assembly that will write the country's new constitution by Friday.

Sounds ominous. Too much of the Med is on a knife edge at the moment. Scary times. Oh heck. I sound like Asheron.

John_Pierpoint

The world's fastest growing religion threatens capitalism as we know it?

michaels

Presumbly Mr Assad thinks fighting only his own population is too easy so he has decided to take on a powerful neighbour at the same time...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18561219

If a shooting war develops between Syria and Turkey don't be suprised to see Israel taking the opportunity to bomb Iran.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

michaels wrote: »

If a shooting war develops between Syria and Turkey don't be suprised to see Israel taking the opportunity to bomb Iran.

Yeah, that's not likely to happen in terms of a straight up Turkey/Syria fight.

(Although the cynic in me suspects there's some politicians exploring the legal ramifications of an attack on a Nato member at this very moment as a possible way to get around UN inaction....)

All sides will probably recognise this was a nervous and trigger happy field commander.

It does illustrate the dangers of sustained tensions in that part of the world though, and how easily things can spiral out of control.

vivatifosi

On TV this morning I saw that there were massive crowds in Tahrir Square again, waiting for the Muslim Brotherhood to be declared winner in the recent Egyptian elections.

Meanwhile CNN is reporting this morning that police officers there have been given the right to shoot to kill in the event of further violence. Given the tinkering behind the scenes in the elections, my sense is that Egypt is about to start making the news in a big way again, the same way as Syria:

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/24/world/africa/egypt-politics/index.html

The election results for Egpyt are due to be announced early-mid afternoon our time.

There's also a very interesting comment piece in the Indie on Sunday as to why the Arab Spring has failed to materialise into the Arab Summer:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/patrick-cockburn-why-the-arab-spring-has-not-been-followed-by-the-expected-summer-7878596.html?origin=internalSearch

sabretoothtigger

I dont get why they'd vote back in the same president that was put there by Mubarak. Is that a fix result like Putin maybe

The parliament is to be reelected I think, just another delay. I think Egypt is more comparable to Iraq and their endless troubles with democracy then Syria

sabretoothtigger

Breaking News

Muslim Brotherhood candidate wins Egyptian presidency
An Islamist leader from the long-suppressed Muslim Brotherhood group has been declared winner of Egypt’s first-ever free presidential election, held almost a year and a half after a popular uprising unseated Hosni Mubarak, the former dictator.

Mohamed Morsi, 62, a US-trained engineer, has been declared president by the powerful electoral commission

http://link.ft.com/r/P75VYY/VLQ44Q/RUSJO/IIHD88/QNYO9T/B7/h?a1=2012&a2=6&a3=24

vivatifosi

oh sh*t....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9352852/Russian-arms-ship-to-make-second-attempt-to-deliver-helicopters-to-Syria.html

A._Badger

I can't resist a grim smile at the news from Egypt. The 'progressive' media (Guardian/BBC axis in the UK) have been busily poo-poohing the fears of old ME hands who smelled the Muslim Brotherhood at work since the very start of the so-called 'Arab Spring'. Of course their fears were just ' reactionary'. It was all going to be rainbows and unicorns.

Once again, liberals have been fooled into believing what suits the narrative, when the reality was staring them in the face.

This is not going to be nice.