Egyptian government continues repression and suppression of dissent.

Egypt under President Abdul al-Sisi is repressing dissent of all kinds. In the latest move Egyptian State Radio banned a popular singer Hamza Namira from broadcasting since some of his songs criticize authorities.

Namira gained fame during the uprising in Tahrir square with songs of hope and freedom three years ago. Protesters managed to oust the regime of Hosni Mubarak with the help of the army. Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was eventually elected president but after large demonstrations against his government was overthrown in a move led by Al-Sisi who was then army chief. Almost a year later Al-Sisi was elected president with strong support even from many who had been part of the original revolution. Al-Sisi rode a wave of anti-Islamist feeling and was able to successfully and brutally repress protesters supporting Morsi, killing hundreds or more in a bloody crackdown. Now even protest songs are not allowed.
 Human rights activists claim that the move to ban Namira is part of a campaign by the government to stop any dissent. Everyone is to sing the praises of President Al-Sisi according to human rights activists. State radio's chairman, Abdel Rahman Rashad, told the BBC that a review had found the performer was not approved for broadcast. .Rashad said that any performer who criticizes authorities should not be allowed to broadcast. All performers require approval before being allowed to broadcast.
 Another performer, actor Khaled Naga has been accused of treason for criticising Al-Sisi. He is being prosecuted by a lawyer for "disturbing national security". In another move, the police briefly detained human rights activist Mahienour el-Masry in Alexandria along with 4 other people including her lawyer. They were picked up long after a protest had ended. El-Masry had just recently been released from prison. After questioning about the protest, they were released.
In Cairo, police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting in memory of a clash in November 2011 the Mohammed Mahmoud Battle that resulted in the death of almost 50 demonstrators. In this demonstration mostly by non-Islamists there were no deaths but at least 43 protesters were arrested. All protests are banned without prior police approval and El-Masry was convicted under the ban and sentenced to six months in prison but was released this September pending appeal of her conviction. El-Masry and dozens of other prisoners mounted a hunger strike to protest their poor treatment and the lack of due process.
 The Egyptian state news agency reports that prosecutors are asking for the death sentence for former president Mohammed Morsi. He along with Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie and 34 others are being tried on espionage charges. Morsi has not recognized the jurisdiction of the court but has asked to defend himself. The case resumes on November 26.

Ultra-conservative Egyptian cleric defends sexual attacks on female protesters

Egypt is in turmoil today after a hard-line Muslim cleric on an Egyptian TV station justified sexual assaults against women protesters. Other ultra-conservatives issued fatwas to kill opposition leaders.

Cleric Ahmed Mohammed Abdullah on his TV show claimed that attacking women was not a "red line" as some opposition members claim. He asked rhetorically: “Does that apply to these naked women? Nine out of 10 of them are Crusaders (Christians) and the rest are ... widows with no one to rein them in to ensure they remain modest."The cleric continued with a classic blame the victim rant:“They are going there to get raped ....these are devils named women ... They speak with no femininity, no morals, no fear ... Learn from Muslim women, be Muslims.”

Views such as this go a long way to explain the violent attacks against women protesters recently. At protests on January 25 to mark the two-year-anniversary of the revolution, at least 19 women were attacked. One had to have surgery after her genitals had been sliced with a knife. Women of all ages have been attacked on Tahrir square. The appended video gives more detail.

While the President Morsi's office and the prime minister have denounced the edicts and one cleric is under investigation, both aides to Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood officials have depicted protesters as thugs and criminals and accused opposition politicians as fueling the violence in an attempt to overthrow Morsi. Many of the more conservative Salafists have gone further still.

Hard-line clerics say that under Islamic law, those who try to overthrow the ruler or cause chaos should face such punishments as death or amputation of limbs. These statements alarmed the opposition, especially after the recent killing of a secular opposition figure in Tunisia, Chokri Belaid.

The National Salvation Front said that Belaid's killing should sound danger alarms in Cairo and shows that terrorist groups are growing under the cloak of religion. They plot to eliminate the opposition morally and physically. The leader of the Front,Mohamed ElBaradei, complained that the government's silence on the clerical edicts gave the fundamentalists a licence to kill in the name of Islam. However since then Morsi's office issued a statement that rejects hate speech cloaked by religion and called for all leaders to stand together against unacceptable inciteful language. No doubt much opposition criticism of Morsi will probably fall under this rubric. The Prime Minister also criticized the edicts.

Security officials have also put ElBaradei's home and those of several other leaders under observation for their protection.Opposition leader Hamdeen Sabahy claimed death threats against him and other members of the National Salvation Front would not deter him or his supporters from continuing peaceful protests.

The edicts against the opposition leaders have been particularly virulent. On a recent talk show cleric Mahmoud Shaaban claimed that the leaders of the National Salvation Front were "setting Egyp on fire to gain power". He continued: “The verdict against them under God’s law is death." However, he added that the government not private citizens should carry out the verdict.

Another cleric, Wagdi Ghoneim, issued a video statement encouraging Morsi to crack down on this protesting around the presidential palace:“The verdict under Shariah for those who seek corruption on earth is to be fought, or crucified, or have their arms or legs cut off or be exiled from earth. Strike with an iron fist. Otherwise, the country will be lost at your hand and they’ll say it is your fault. They’ll say Islam doesn’t know how to rule and that it’s the Islamists who wrecked the country.”

Ghoneim said that if Morsi refused to act then private citizens would:“We will kill the criminals, the thugs, the thieves and those who give them money and those who help them with words. No mercy with them."

Hamas and Fatah leaders hold reconciliation talks with President Mursi in Cairo

Leader of Fatah and president of the Palestinian authority Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas head, Khaled Meshal, met separately with Egyptian President Morsi in Cairo. They then held reconciliation talks with president Morsi mediating.

The two Palestinian factions signed a reconciliation pact in Cairo in May of 2011 but the main points in that agreement are not yet implemented. Officials from Hamas and Fatah said that the talks will focus on a unity government. This would make it possible to hold parliamentary and presidential elections that are long overdue.

Hamas won a majority of seats in elections in 2006 and took over the Gaza strip in 2007. Hamas recently allowed Fatah to hold rallies in the Gaza Strip controlled by Hamas. Fatah has reciprocated by allowing Hamas rallies in the West Bank. The Hamas delegation is also slated to meet with Egyptian intelligence representatives to talk about the ceasefire with Israel in the Gaza Strip. Hamas was formed in 1987 as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and hence has historical ties with the group associated with Egyptian president Mursi.

Egypt was instrumental in negotiating the truce that ended an 8-day military offensive launched by Israel last November. More than 150 Palestinians and 6 Israelis were killed in the conflict. Hamas has refused to renounce violence and also does not recognize Israel's right to exist. However, the present leader Khaled Meshal has said that he would agree to a settlement with Israel based upon the 1967 borders but with the right of return of all displaced Palestinians. Israel, US, and the EU all designate Hamas as a terrorist group, although Iran, Russia,Turkey, and Arab nations do not. A unified Palestinian movement would give more power to the Palestinians in negotiating with Israel. However, both Israel and the US are opposed to a unified government with Hamas given the stance of Hamas on Israel and the use of violence.

New Egyptian constitution restricts protests and strikes

The Shura Council's Human Rights Committee has newly granted legislative powers that it has used to draft new laws regulating protests and strikes. Many of the 26 articles drafted so far have been criticized both by labor and human rights groups.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party daily paper has published some of the provisions of the proposed law. The first 18 articles regulate protests and the last 8 put restrictions on the right to strike.

The legislation actually continues repressive legislation that dates back to Law 14 of 1923 when Egypt was a British protectorate. The law criminalized anti-occupation protests. Malek Adly of the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights notes

:"Most of the provisions of this draft law have been copied verbatim from Law 14. This is evident in the use of terms like 'police,' which has long been replaced by the word 'shorta,' along with other outdated terms."

Adly explains that this anti-protest legislation was later adopted by Egyptian monarchs and military rulers to quell discontent. Now Mursi, the elected president, with a constitution passed by a majority vote, is doing the same. You have the same repression thinly veiled with a democratic veneer.

Before the January uprising that overthrew Mubarak, strikes had been growing. As the appended video shows trade unions played an important part in the revolution. However, strikes and industrial action have risen in number even since the revolution.

The Egyptian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (EFITU) harshly criticized the law, noting that it added additional control mechanisms that were not even present during the Mubarak regime. Adly believes that these policies are meant to control unrest that could follow from the US $4.8 billion loan from the IMF. Adly claims:

"We are heading towards austerity measures, tax hikes, subsidy cuts and [higher] unemployment, which will quite likely prove to be unpopular. This is why the state wants to do away with political rights as well as socio-economic rights. It seeks to strip citizens of their right to object to governmental policie."

There are a number of restrictions on protests. Article 2 requires that authorities must be notified three days prior to a protest. Authorities can refuse permission to hold the protest. Article three requires that the duration, place, and reasons for the protests must be clearly announced in advance.

Article 6 says that protests cannot take place in schools, houses of worship, or state buildings except for lectures and these must be approved by authorities. Article 7 demands that a representative be appointed to each protest action to ensure it does not get out of hand. Article 10 gives authorities the power to designate protest routes

Other articles give security forces authority to disperse any demonstrations regarded as harmful to national interests. Another requires governorates to allocate specific areas for demonstrations that do not obstruct traffic. Article 14 requires that demonstrations occur after 7 a.m. and disperse by 7 p.m. Under these regulations, the demonstrations in Tahrir square would have been illegal and subject to dispersal. No doubt if they happen again, some of the same people who were arrested and jailed under the old regime will now arrest many of those who protested alongside of them. Adly was critical of many of these articles saying that at most some of the provisions would apply only under a state of emergency.

Strikes are also very much regulated. A strike may not halt traffic or disrupt production, or public transport. Article 21 allows strikes within the workplace as long as they do not harm production or the national economy. It is quite often the harm caused to production that is the very reason for strikes since it put pressure on companies to settle. If workers strike, they are not working and that in itself will impact production. As Adly puts it:

“How can workers go on strike without halting production? The whole point of a strike is to halt production, and to use this action as a pressure mechanism against the employer."

There are many other regulations hostile to workers. Karim Saber, director of the Land Center for Human Rights said that the Trade Union Liberties draft law of September 2011, has been scrapped and the Brotherhood are now drafting their own laws.

Karam Saber, director of the Land Center for Human Rights, explains that the Brotherhood have scrapped the “Trade Union Liberties” draft law which was finalized in September 2011, and are now drafting their own laws which regulate Egypt’s trade unions and professional syndicates. The International Labor Organizations is threatening to blacklist the Egyptian government as a violator of labor rights, for failing to issue a trade union law protecting worker's rights to freely organize. Will we hear complaints about this from the IMF or from the Obama administration? Will the issue even be covered by mainstream western media?

IMF official to meet with Egyptian officials about postponed IMF loan

A senior official from the International Monetary Fund will meet with Egyptian officials on Monday. They will discuss the $4.8 billion dollar loan agreement postponed in December because of the political instability in the country.

The IMF official, the Middle East and Central Asia director, Masood Ahmed, will meet with President Mursi, Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, some ministers, and the central bank governor as well. Discussion will be about recent developments in the economy and possible help by the IMF in meeting challenges facing the Egyptian economy.

The government recently replaced both the finance minister and the interior minister. These moves were made after promises made by President Mursi to assuage anger over the economic situation. Sources in the Egyptian cabinet confirmed the action.

Although the IMF loan had been rejected earlier in June 2011, it is now seen as crucial to dealing with the Egyptian deficit and economic slump caused by the continuing political turmoil. Political conflict continues as many reject the recently passed constitution. A parliamentary election is expected within the next two months. The new IMF loan has also been criticized by many.

Last Wednesday, the Egyptian pound hit record lows at the same time as debt insurance costs rose, even though Mursi promised that he would not allow Egypt to slip into a further economic crisis. The central bank was forced to implement new rules in order to conserve dwindling foreign reserves. The finance minister said that the pound would soon stabilize, but many economists thought otherwise. Some economists however did say that Egypt simply could not afford to continue its daily currency auctions. Egyptians have been swapping Egyptian pounds for US dollars driving down the value of the pound.

President Morsi dismissed talk on the street that the country was on the verge of bankruptcy, saying through his Twitter account:

"How can anyone say that a country like Egypt, which is meeting all of its financial obligations, is going be bankrupt."

The Egyptian pound had fallen only 6% since the uprising in 2011. However, this week alone the currency has fallen 3.2%. The regime had been auctioning off currency at the rate of $75 million a day. Egyptians fear devaluation of the pound and banks have now imposed a limit on dollar withdrawals. Successful negotiations with the IMF may help ease the situation.

Egypt seeks IMF loan

In 2011 Egypt rejected a loan from the IMF. The government is now asking for more than $3 billion U.S. from the International Monetary Fund. Egypt asked for a loan earlier this year but the deal fell through.

On Wednesday August 22nd Christine Lagarde, IMF head, met Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandi and President Mohammed Mursi. Lagarde stressed the need for a reform program to solve the economic crisis in the country. Egypt is seeking a loan now from the IMF after claiming in June 2011 that it did not need one.

The prime minister Qandi said:

“The loan in general terms is worth 3.2 billion U.S. dollars. We talked about increasing it up to probably 4.8 and maybe more.”

Lagarde said the amount of the loan had not been settled. Qandi said that Egypt hoped to sign a deal by the end of 2012. The interest rate would be 1.1% and would be payable over five years with a 39 month grace period. Qandi continued:

“This high level visit by the IMF which comes very quickly after new government formation sends a positive message not only to Egypt but to the whole world that Egypt is stable and the Egyptian economy is headed for recovery. We will agree on a timeline and road map that will see a loan agreement signed by November or early December. The government has decided to seek foreign borrowing and the IMF conditions are acceptable to us,”

In spite of the fact that the Islamist Freedom and Justice Party had earlier rejected an economic program associated with an earlier loan of $3.2 billion it appears to welcome this loan. Quandi claims that Egypt will have final say as to how the money will be spent.

A presidential spokesperson praised the IMF and said that a democratic transition would need the support of international institutions such as the IMF. Yasser Ali the spokesperson said that the IMF was not just a funding institution but also encouraged investor confidence in the economy and foreign investment. The conditions for the loan will be discussed in later negotiations. Quite often the conditions are those promoting the global neoliberal agenda including selling off state assets, removal of state subsidies, and cutting back on entitlement programs.

Lagarde naturally put a positive spin on everything saying that the IMF would be Egypt's partner in a journey to restore stability, boost investor confidence, and create jobs. However she also warned that fiscal, monetary, and structural reforms would require determination and political courage. Many of these reforms will be politically unpopular and may help boost opposition parties in the polls.

Leftist protesters massed near the headquarters of the cabinet to protest Lagarde's visit. They condemned the IMF conditions for loans that the protesters claimed benefit only businessmen. They blame the IMF and the World Bank for privatization programs that were carried out under the Mubarak regime. No doubt there will be more of the same. Mursi's economic views are basically neo-liberal and for that reason he is supported by a number of U.S. officials and others in spite of his Islamist views and links to the Muslim Brotherhood.

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Egyptian military leadership accepts President Morsi's changes to top leadership

Apparently there has been no negative reaction from the military even though President Morsi has forced the two top military leaders out of their posts. Perhaps Morsi made a deal with SCAF rather than pulling a surprise move to show his power.

There is no sign yet of any opposition to Egyptian President Morsi's seemingly dramatic move to remove the two top military leaders from their posts. There were no unusual military movements across Egypt today.
Morsi not only removed top military leaders but also took away some of the powers that the generals had given themselves. Morsi has reclaimed control of the constitution drafting process, the national budget, and the right to issue laws. If this decision stands it will reduce the power of the generals.
Morsi's moves however may have been made through negotiation with the military ruling council. Apparently there were consultations with members of the ruling military council including the two who lost their jobs before Morsi's made his decision. While there is always tension and potential conflict between Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood and the military often the conflict results in deals between the opposing forces. This could very well be the case with the two leaders who have left their jobs. In a remarkable move today Morsi actually awarded medals to the two retiring leaders. Some may actually want them to face charges for actions under the Mubarak regime.
On August 14th President Morsi awarded Field Marshal Tantawi the Order of the NIle. This is Egypt's most prestigious honor. The award was in appreciation for Tantawi's efforts in protecting and serving Egypt. Tantawi served under Mubarak for decades. Lt. Gen. Sami Anan former army chief of staff was awarded the Order of the Republic. The two will also serve as presidential advisers. No doubt they will receive enough to live comfortably in retirement as well! This ceremony seems part of a worked out plan to show that there are no hard feelings at the changes.
The newly appointed Minister of Defense Lt. General Abdel el-Sissi is also a member of SCAF and former head of military intelligence under Mubarak. General Mohamed al-Assar who is a member of SCAF says that Morsi's decisions were made after consultations with Tantawi himself and SCAF.
Further confirmation that there there was a deal and not a dangerous confrontation comes from Washington's reaction. George Little a U.S. Defense Department Spokesperson said:
"We had expected President Morsi to coordinate changes in the military leadership....The United States and the Department of Defense, in particular, look forward to continuing a very close relationship with the SCAF."
All in all it the evidence points to a deal between the Egyptian military and Morsi. However, it is a deal that could bring Egypt closer to democracy and is a step in the right direction.

Egyptian President Morsi replaces Defense Chief and Chief of Staff

In a surprise and shocking announcement Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi fired the armed forces head and Defense Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi. The new defense minister is Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Tantawi had served for decades under former President Mubarak as defense minister. He was also chair of the ruling military council SCAF that has ruled Egypt for the last 17 months. The chief of staff of the military Sami Enan has also been forced into retirement. An Al Jazeera correspondent said:
"There will be a lot of questions asked, especially if Morsi is able to do this..In the coming hours, we will find out how this decision came about. All of this has happened very fast, and it was unexpected."
There are also reports that Morsi has canceled the military-declared constitutional amendments that gave great powers to the generals.
These developments come just days after Morsi together with Tantawi forced head of intelligence Major General Murad Muwafi into retirement after a militant attack killed 16 guards at a Sinai border crossing with Egypt. Maj. General Abdul Mabrouk governor of North Sinai province was fired as well.
President Morsi has reorganized the Interior Ministry. He appointed Maj. Gen. Hamed Zaki to command the Republican Guard and Major General Mustafa Kamel as head of Central Security Forces. This reorganization was apparently carried out with the cooperation of Tantawi. Now Tantawi too is gone. Something is brewing in Cairo. Relations between Morsi and the military have alternated between almost open conflict and behind the scenes deals. Relations seem to be now in the conflict stage.

Egypt: Generals issue warning to Muslim Brotherhood

   The leader of the  SCAF(Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) the real rulers of  Egypt issued a thinly veiled warning to the Muslim Brotherhood. Field Marshal Tantawi head of the council said that the council will not allow a certain group to dominate the country. There is little chance of that since in effect the council already has staged a coup that gives most powers to itself.
    President Morsi elected recently is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. Although many suspect there are deals behind the scenes between the Brotherhood and the generals, in public there is often conflict. For example President Morsi convened parliament even after the Constitutional Court ruled that some aspects of the recent parliamentary elections were not legal and SCAF had dissolved the parliament. However the government did not prevent the parliament from meeting.
   Tantawi said:“Egypt will never fall. It belongs to all Egyptians and not to a certain group — the armed forces will not allow it,”  “The armed forces will not allow anyone, especially those pushed from outside, to distract it from its role as the protector of Egypt,” . “The army will never commit treason and will continue to perform its duties until Egypt reaches the shores of safety.” Of course Tantawi served in the administration of  Hosni Mubarak. The army constantly projects itself as the protector of the Egyptian people. The bad guys were the security forces. However, it was  military tribunals run by the armed forces who put protesters in jail. For more see this article.

Is the Arab Spring revolution in Egypt dead?

 The armed forces council (SCAF) is in control in Egypt. The president is a Muslim Brotherhood member. The secular and liberal protesters who led the revolution are sidelined. Egyptians seek order and security rather than revolution and democracy.

    The newly elected president Mohamed Morsi challenged the ruling military council (SCAF) by issuing a decree that annuls the decision by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to dissolve parliament. SCAF dissolved the parliament after the Constitutional Court ruled that there were irregularities in the election that violated the constitution. President Morsi also ordered that the parliament reconvene on Tuesday (July 10) The military council did not prevent the parliament from convening. Surely this is a sign that there are behind the scenes negotiations on what is to be allowed. 

    The substance of the meeting is also of interest. Parliament Speaker Saad el-Katatni told lawmakers that the legislature met to find ways to implement the court ruling rather than debate it out of respect for the principles of “the supremacy of the law and separation of authorities.” Clearly the parliament is not directly attacking the court ruling although the very fact that the parliament is meeting at all conflicts with the military order that dissolved parliament. Nevertheless the army is willing to allow this symbolic act as part of a delicate dance with the Muslim Brotherhood. For its part the SCAF has repeated its own position that the armed forces sided with the "constitution, legitimacy, and law". Both the Muslim Brotherhood and SCAF are key players in the new Egypt. Neither will bring about any radical change and both are committed to neoliberal policies. 

    The Muslim Brotherhood is long established in Egypt although under Mubarak leaders were often jailed including now president Morsi. The Brotherhood's political clout is due to its integral connection to many in Egyptian society especially the less well off. ""The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has more than three hundred thousand members and runs numerous institutions, including hospitals, schools, banks, businesses, foundations, day care centers, thrift shops, social clubs, and facilities for the disabled.""
 The army is connected to the economy through ownership and management of economic enterprises. The exact degree of the armed forces involvement is unknown but certainly significant. ""The army is known to manufacture everything from olive oil and shoe polish to the voting booths used in Egypt’s 2011 parliamentary elections,.....News reports have cited “expert” estimates that are all over the map, from 5 percent to 40 percent or more. ...Not only are army holdings classified as state secrets -- reporting on them can land a journalist in jail -- but they are also too vast and dispersed to estimate with any confidence. The army some time ago seized power"". As this article in the Huffington Post notes: """SCAF boldly and unambiguously asserted sweeping political and military powers: complete control over its own affairs (including control and continued secrecy around the use of over $1 billion in annual military aid from the United States), complete control over its own affairs, including budgetary autonomy as well as the ability to wage war without presidential or parliamentary approval; extraordinary powers of arrest over civilians; immediate assumption of legislative authority; defining and limiting the executive authority of the president; and overseeing the writing of Egypt's new constitution""
  President Morsi was elected without a job description. He is now trying to wrest some power from the military so that he can have some influence in the new Egypt. Certainly it is preferable to being in jail. With the transition to the new Egypt being controlled by SCAF along with the Muslim Brotherhood it would seem that the revolution and any hope of a transition to a modern secular democracy is unlikely. However, not everyone is pessimistic. Mark LeVine a professor of Middle Eastern History at the University of California Irvine thinks that the situation in Egypt is actually positive for liberals, secularists, and the democratic revolution. LeVine argues that at least those fighting for a democratic and secular Egypt have not sold out and joined what is in effect the same state apparatus as under Mubarak. He also argues that the Brotherhood in league with the military will not be able to provide a positive future for Egypt. They will fail and the people will turn to the real opposition movement. Now he argues is the opportunity for activists to begin the arduous task of grass roots organizing.
    In the long run LeVine may be correct but for the immediate future we are witnessing the army trying to incorporate the Muslim Brotherhood into their power system without yielding much. The presidential election itself tells us that many Egyptians prefer the security of an armed forces based regime as they voted for a representative of the Mubarak in just slightly less numbers than for Morsi the Muslim Brotherhood representative. The revolution may not be dead but it urgently needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. 

New Egyptian president annuls dissolution of parliament

In a challenge to the Constitutional Court and the ruling military regime(SCAF) newly elected president Morsi has issued a decree annulling the decision of June 15 to dissolve the People's Assembly. The official news agency reports: "President Morsi has issued a presidential decree annulling the decision taken on June 15, 2012 to dissolve the people's assembly, and invites the chamber to convene again and to exercise its prerogatives,"
  The Constitutional Court had ruled that certain article in the election laws were invalid and also the law that excluded senior members of the Mubarak regime from running. Parliamentary elections returned a large majority of Islamists. Almost half were won by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood but also about a quarter were won by the more radical Salafists.
   The reaction of the ruling military council to this decree should be interesting. The relationship of the Brotherhood to the Military Council sometimes seems to involve deals but at other times out and out conflict. For more see this article.