Egypt Military Coup: Will The Army Take Down Morsi and Then Take Egypt For Itself?

Impact

On Monday, the Egyptian Army gave President Mohammad Morsi a 48-hour ultimatum.

Morsi may leave office on his own volition within the time frame. But if he does not, if he dare linger, the army vowed to depose Morsi themselves.

As what a post-Morsi Egypt might look like, the Army vows its intervention will not become military coup. According to Reuters, Egyptian military commander Abdul Fatah al-Sisi will lead the transitional government. Al-Sisi will install “an interim council of civilians and [delay] parliamentary elections until a new Constitution [is] drafted.”

Other options have been discussed, but a senior military source told Reuters the Egyptian Army would most likely choose the al-Sisi scenario.

In a speech Tuesday, Morsi announced that he would not succumb to the Army’s demands. He attempted to de-legitimize the army, calling them, “remnants of the former [Mubarak] regime.”

“If they come back to the people, they will be rejected,” Morsi said. “They are accustomed to corruption, rigging elections, sucking dry the blood of the people and gobbling up the riches. Syphoning their money abroad. They cannot thrive in democracy.”

He added that he would protect Egypt no matter the price, even if that meant his own life. "If the price for safeguarding legitimacy is my blood, then I am prepared to sacrifice my blood for the sake of stability and security of this homeland," he said.

As of 11AM Wednesday morning the Army’s deadline expired. Twenty minutes later and Morsi is still in power.

There is no breaking news yet, but PolicyMic will be there to cover it.

 

Follow me: @chechkalu