[Dwemadayday]

In Egypt, Arab Spring Replaced by Military Dictatorship

[Michmant]

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[Si8jy8HN]

As a fan of democracy, its a tough call whether a president associated with the former regime's miliatary is more or less likely to lead down the bumpy path to real liberal democracy than the alternative, domination by Islamicists wanting to establish an Iranian style theocracy. I tend to think a ballance of power between ex-miliatary president and Islamicist dominated parliament might in fact be the best case scenario for now.

[M4tHkBw2]

Islamists disgust me and their participation in the Egyptian government would be a negative on many fronts.

That being said, it is much easier to be in the opposition - organize rallies and talk in sound bites than to actually govern. Exhibit A: Hamas. Further, governing does have a moderating affect. Hamas has essentially stopped firing rockets at Israel (except the past week); and while the Brotherhood would like to cancel their treaty with Israel, if elected to power, they never would do that.

Now the only way that an Islamic government is beneficial in the long run, is if they maintain the democracy, i.e. continue to hold free and fair elections. When the populace realizes that governing is a lot harder than issuing bold proclamations, they will smarten up and elect someone new. But its hard to trust anyone in power in the developing world. From South America to Russia to Africa and throughout the middle east, once a government is entrenched, it's so common to suspend the constitution, dissolve the legislature, etc.