Egypt's army clashes with protesters in Tahrir

seattle pi ^ | 8/1/11 | Sarah El Deeb

[Nachum]

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian forces swinging electrified batons and shouting the battle cry "God is great" swiftly chased off dozens of activists Monday who had refused to end four weeks of renewed protests at Tahrir Square to pressure the country's transitional military rulers.

Hundreds of riot police backed by armored vehicles and soldiers moved in to tear down the camp of dozens of tents after a group of holdout activists — some of them relatives of people killed in the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in February — refused pleas over loudspeakers to go home. Some in the crowd hurled stones at the police.

Firing shots in the air and using clubs, Egyptian forces cleared the square within minutes.

With Mubarak's trial on charges he ordered the killing of protesters due to start Wednesday, the ruling military council appeared to run out of patience with the protesters, whose key demand is to see the former president and other members of his regime face justice.

Still, some were surprised by the security sweep, especially as it came on the first day of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting that is traditionally a time of forgiveness and tolerance.

[MasterGunner01]

The unanswered question will become whether the Egyptian military stands against the Muslim Brotherhood against an Islamic state or it rolls into bed with them. Stay tuned!

[bruinbirdman]

"will become whether the Egyptian military stands against the Muslim Brotherhood against an Islamic state "

Did the Commies disappear when USSR became Russia again?

The military has run Egypt since Nasser. They still do.

yitbos

[MasterGunner01]

The question for Egypt (like Turkey) is whether the Army will resist radical Islam and a full-blown Islamic state or they will join the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt (or AKP in Turkey) is the $64,000 question. The Turkish Army was setup as the guarantor of a secular state in Turkey. Whether the AKP has neutered them to setup an Islamic, Sharia law state is up for grabs. Likewise, it is still not clear if the Egyptian Army will dominate or the Muslim Brotherhood will. If Egypt and Turkey go Islamist, Israel will have acquired two very powerful enemies.