Posted on 07/03/2013 5:56:34 AM PDT by kristinn
The Egyptian army has set a deadline of 4 p.m. Cairo time for the Muslim Brotherhood government of President Morsi to compromise with the people of Egypt (by stepping down.) Morsi refuses. 18 people were killed and 200 were wounded in clashes at Cairo University last night.
A Washington Post report from Cairo on dueling statements from Morsi and the army:
Waving his hands and shaking his fists in a 45-minute speech on national television late Tuesday, Morsi swore that he was committed to the democratic process that brought him to power and said that any attempts to subvert the constitution were unacceptable.
The army, in turn, posted a message to its Facebook page saying: We swear to God that we will sacrifice even our blood for Egypt and its people, to defend them against any terrorist, radical or fool.
In his speech, Morsi acknowledged that he had made mistakes during his year in office as Egypts first democratically elected president. But he appealed to Egyptians to give him more time to deal with the countrys problems.
Link to originial FR thread from Friday with many amazing photos.
3:13 pm Opponents of Islamist President Mohammed Mursi gather near Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo, calling for his ouster
Not true. The Administration’s position as articulated by the State Department is that we are on the side of the Egyptian people and want a peaceful solution. We have been very careful not to support either side—at least publicly.
Sounds like they are tearing down the Pres Palace!
He will never be able to lead even if he remains.
Celebratory gunfire in Tahrir square? That’s what I’m hearing from Reuters live stream.
Hey..aren’t guns ILLEGAL over there? ha.
Twitter:
Several *unconfirmed* reports emerging that Egyptian President Morsi has been placed under house arrest. #Egypt
Never mind. Looks like fireworks. Happy 4th...err...3rd egypt.
Haaretz.com
LIVE BLOG: Unconfirmed reports claim #Morsi placed under house arrest
Women leading chants against Morsi + Muslim Brotherhood: “they said our voices were a sin, down w/ the Brotherhood’s supreme guide” #egypt
CNN: 11:15 EDT
CAIRO: Egyptian Military leaders have told Arab media that they plan to suspend the constitution, dissolve the parliament and sideline Morsy.
In his place, they would install a civilian interim council until a new constitution can be drafted and a new president elected.
The military's ultimatum was intended to push all factions toward a national consensus, not to seize power through a coup, a spokesman, Col. Ahmed Ali, said Monday in a written statement.
The military appears to be pressuring Morsy to restructure his government to reduce the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood and include opposition members, a source close to highly placed members of Egypt's leadership told CNN.
Five of Morsy's ministers resigned this week, including Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr.
And former Prosecutor General Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud will meet Thursday with the Supreme Judicial Council to be officially confirmed in the job.
Mahmoud had originally been installed in the job by Mubarak, shortly before he left. Mahmoud's return appeared to signify a shrinking of Morsy's power and a tilt toward Mubarak-era officials over Muslim Brotherhood loyalists.
Many of the democratic reformists and moderates who have accused Morsy's government of moving in an authoritarian direction now support former Mubarak supporters and others fed up with the nation's direction in calling for the restoration of order through the military.
Together they are pushing to oust Morsy and his Muslim conservative government, whose leaders were drawn primarily from the ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood. They say they have collected more than 20 million signatures on a petition to remove him -- millions more than the number who voted Morsy into the presidency.
In recent days, anti-Morsy demonstrators have ransacked Muslim Brotherhood offices all over the country.
Egypt's military is meeting Wednesday with religious, national, political and youth leaders to address the crisis, Egyptian military spokesman, Ahmed Ali, said through his Facebook page.
An opposition spokesman accused the United States of propping up Morsy out of concern for neighboring Israel.
"The hour of victory is coming," said Mahmoud Badr of the Tamarod opposition group. He predicted that the "illegitimate president" would be gone by the end of the day.
"Not America, not Morsy, not anyone can impose their will on the Egyptian people," Badr said.
Jeanne Kirkpatrick, a true American patriot and hero, had a saying about the sorts of Democracy we see in Venezuela, Egypt, Turkey and elsewhere. She said she was opposed to states where elections were “One man, one vote, one time!”
http://liveblog.abcnews.go.com/Event/Live_Updates_Egyptian_Army_Threatens_Coup_in_48_Hours_2
We’re working to confirm a report that President Morsi is under house arrest:
Jon Williams
@WilliamsJon
#Egypt s Al Hayat TV reports #Morsi under house arrest. Working to confirm. #EgyptABC
“...14 million people protesting throughout the country is the past few days...”
Largest protest in human history.
Dinosuar Media? - Silent
Obama? - Hiding in some hut in Africa
Death toll? > 20
Number wounded? > 200
And it is just starting...
17:20 Still no army statement, although some local television channels are broadcasting rumours that President Morsi has been put under house arrest, causing crowds in Tahrir to celebrate.
The Salafists will attempt to subvert and take over.
Is there a WH press briefing today?
Military must act fast..otherwise they are perceived as backing down..never issue a deadline, or a redline....unless you are prepared to act on it...unless your name is Obama..
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