art #33 AFTER THE REVOLUTION, EGYPT SPLINTERS,
OMNEYA EL NAGGAR
The upheaval that ousted the Mubarak regime in Egypt left a vacuum in governance that
was immediately filled by military forces. The armed forces have continued to dominate
the nation's politics, although Islamists are strengthening despite division within their
ranks. A stable, genuinely democratic government that allows for a pluralistic society
remains an elusive goal in Egypt. since the upheaval that ousted the Mubarak regime, the
non-Islamist forces have been losing ground because of internal divisions and lack of
organization. Extremist Islamic groups like the Salafists in Egypt, spurn the commitment
to peaceful change.
The Supreme Council of Armed Forces released well-known jihadists and other Islamist
radicals in order to undermine the Muslim Brotherhood, to divide Islamist voters, and to
send a message to secularists that the military control is necessary to maintain stability.
In regards to the aid of $1.3 billion/year from the US, three stipulations attached to the
funding bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives for aid to Egypt are: the
Secretary of State must certify that the government of Egypt is not controlled by a foreign
terrorist organization; the Secretary must affirm that Egypt is taking steps to detect and
destroy the smuggling network and tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza strip; the bill
insists on continuation of border security programs and activities in the Sinai, with the
expectation that the Egyptian military will continue to adhere to and implement the
Egypt-Israel peace treaty. If the military does not successfully manage the democratic
transition by keeping the Islamists from gaining power, the foreign aid will cease.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke5qVDSw6kc min 2.23 oct 16
A Recalibration in the US Egypt Relationship - 16th October 2013