Egyptians fear army rulers acting as new Mubaraks (imagine that!)

AP ^ | 7/17/11

[markomalley]

The soldiers shouted, "Raise your head high, you're Egyptian." It was one of the most inspiring chants by young protesters during Egypt's revolution, encapsulating the newfound pride of a people rising up after a lifetime of humiliation under authoritarian rule.

From the soldiers, it was a taunt.

They barked it over and over at an activist lying belly down on the ground, stripped to his boxers, his hands and right leg tied behind his back. Each time Ramy Issam obeyed, he said, a soldier would stomp his head back onto the marble of the courtyard in Cairo's Egyptian Museum.

To the youth who led the protests and to a growing number of Egyptians, the secretive council of top generals that now rules the country is looking too much like the regime it replaced - authoritarian, ready to use brutal tactics and out of touch with the nation's aspirations.

The military, which was greeted with cheers when it pushed out longtime president Hosni Mubarak in February, has proclaimed its embrace of the revolution and democratic elections later this year. But protesters have returned to Tahrir Square, holding a sit-in since July 8, to complain that the military has hijacked the transition and has been reluctant to purge members of the old regime.

Reported abuses add a darker undertone to those complaints. There have been multiple reports of torture of detainees. To an unprecedented extent, the army has also been bringing civilians before military courts, notorious for their swift rulings with little chance for defense. In five months, more than 10,000 civilians have been put on military trial, including protesters, activists and at least one journalist who wrote an article critical of the army, according to rights groups tracking the detentions.

[RC2]

I really don’t care what they do over there. It’s none of our business. We can’t even control our own country’s politicians.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks markomalley.

There have been multiple reports of torture of detainees.

Aw, that's sad. Has anyone been buried up to the waist and then stoned to death by her neighbors? Just curious, that's how things are normally done in Islamic "countries", and is routine in Iran.

[hinckley buzzard]

Can anyone really be surprised, except the usual idiot bell-jar liberals? "Here's your new general--same as the old general. Deal with it."

[Hunton Peck]

"Raise your head high, you're Egyptian."

Yeah? Well...

[dfwgator]

The military running things there is probably the best possible outcome.

[EQAndyBuzz]

These generals have been talking with their counterparts in Israel for years. Best thing for israel at the moment. Now they just gotta figure out how to keep weapons from getting into gaza.

[FreedomPoster]

The only reason I care is that we are throwing lots of money over there, and are talking about selling them M1A1 tank technology and production capability. AFAIAC, stop both.

[RC2]

We already have a manufacturing plant in Egypt. We need to stop putting money in that country, close the plant and get the hell out.