Egypt's highest court declared the parliament invalid Thursday, and the country's interim military rulers promptly declared full legislative authority, triggering a new level of chaos and confusion in the country's leadership.
The Supreme Constitutional Court's ruling means that parliament must be dissolved, state TV reported….
The court found that all articles making up the law that regulated parliamentary elections are invalid, said Showee Elsayed, a constitutional lawyer.
Parliament had been in session for just over four months. It was dominated by Islamists, a group long viewed with suspicion by the military.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in control of the country since Mubarak's ouster, announced that it now has full legislative power and will announce a 100-person assembly that will write the country's new constitution by Friday.
Elsewhere in Reason: In the last days of the Hosni Mubarak regime, I warned what could happen if the military co-opted the revolution and kept control of the country.
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I feel that when world-changing events are unfolding in the middle east, and innocent citizens are straining under the jackboot of tyranny, the obvious response is libertarian snark.
Hey now, George Clinton has a set forth a clearly reasoned and comprehensive domestic and foreign agenda in Chocolate City, One Nation Under a Groove, and Paint the White House Black.
In 1961 the US sent the South Vietnamese its' first shipment of tanks. These were M-24 light tanks, but to the people of Saigon they were known as "voting machines" because the only time they sortied from the depo was to support the numerous coups of that decade.
Putting aside all foreign manipulations and interventions, I'm beginning to wonder if the middle-easts lack of democracy should surprise us.
Imagine you lived in a country. And there was a very organized group of religious fundamentalists who were itching to put all the women in Burkas, all the men had to keep their beards within certain parameters, no vice, no alcohol, prayer several times a day, punishments severe for violating any of these dictats... and the liklihood of this coming to pass would be very high if open elections were held.
Probably the same as those Latin Americans who finally shrugged off the yoke of Fascist military dictatorships to only see their countrymen vote in some vile ultra-left-wing socialist "Dictatorship of the People".
Democracy is not an goal, it is a mechanism, one that is used to reflect the desires of the people living in a society.
If the people want liberty and justice, they'll vote for it. If they want central planning and redistribution of wealth, they'll vote for it. If they want to put the women in burkas and be required to pray five times a day, guess what? They'll vote for that.
Salafis have gone on the rampage in many Tunisian cities, with the destruction of property and the setting on fire of police stations, party and union headquarters and even a lorry transporting alcoholic beverages.
I'm not saying Egypt was the land of sugarplums and gumdrops before, but when it comes to oppressive dictatorships, I'd take the one rooted in 1950 as opposed to 610.
The one positive aspect from the riots in Tunisia is that Ennahda (Islamist party that won the last elections) has come out pretty strong against the Salafis.
The "revolution" was just a bunch of street riots, it was the military performing a coup d'tat that actually changed the government in the first place.
Dear Bashir Assad,
I hope you have been paying attention.
Sincerely,
The Mubarak Family
Well, who didn't see this happening?
Yeah, I'm not sure what everyone thought was going to happen.
the U.S. State Department?
Can't we just restore order with a few troops and some drones? And maybe some Viva Democracy! pamphlets?
We'll be welcomed as liberators, I'm sure.
Well I bet there would be some shoes thrown at them at least.
I was hoping Egypt's Highest Court would declare the Parliament Funkadelic.
You, sir, are my hero.
I feel that when world-changing events are unfolding in the middle east, and innocent citizens are straining under the jackboot of tyranny, the obvious response is libertarian snark.
It's why no one takes us serially!
Hey now, George Clinton has a set forth a clearly reasoned and comprehensive domestic and foreign agenda in Chocolate City, One Nation Under a Groove, and Paint the White House Black.
Bootsy!
What world-changing events? The event of Muslim nations changing hands from one group of tyrants to another? That's just history repeating itself.
Therefore, snark is the only appropriate response.
Here's the new regime: President Pepper Spray, Minister Machinegun and Judge Tank.
President Pepper Spray
Made with Pride in Texas!
In 1961 the US sent the South Vietnamese its' first shipment of tanks. These were M-24 light tanks, but to the people of Saigon they were known as "voting machines" because the only time they sortied from the depo was to support the numerous coups of that decade.
By that you mean the junta would prevent the country from dissolving into
a violent, Jihadist shithole more akin to Dante's 7th circle of Hell than any place in this earthly realm.
How horrible that would be!
Lay off, he's never gotten over the cancellation of Walker, Texas Ranger.
Putting aside all foreign manipulations and interventions, I'm beginning to wonder if the middle-easts lack of democracy should surprise us.
Imagine you lived in a country. And there was a very organized group of religious fundamentalists who were itching to put all the women in Burkas, all the men had to keep their beards within certain parameters, no vice, no alcohol, prayer several times a day, punishments severe for violating any of these dictats... and the liklihood of this coming to pass would be very high if open elections were held.
How would you feel about democracy?
Probably the same as those Latin Americans who finally shrugged off the yoke of Fascist military dictatorships to only see their countrymen vote in some vile ultra-left-wing socialist "Dictatorship of the People".
Sometimes makes you wonder why democracy has been successful here for so long.
It seems, though, that we are getting more and more European. People have seriously begun to find out they can vote themselves a check in the mail.
Once people started to figure that out, we're on the road to Greece.
Democracy is not an goal, it is a mechanism, one that is used to reflect the desires of the people living in a society.
If the people want liberty and justice, they'll vote for it. If they want central planning and redistribution of wealth, they'll vote for it. If they want to put the women in burkas and be required to pray five times a day, guess what? They'll vote for that.
Democracy =/= liberty.
Whoa, now that just goes too far.
Police, yeah whatever
Party and Union HQs, should happen more often
A lorry of alcoholic beverages, Why God Why, what did the alcohol ever do to you!!!!
I kind of agree with you HM, but the military-Mubarak rule didn't really help and probably won't in future. They could be a usefull check though.
The Islamists of Tunisia are not taking over any time soon. Tunisia's lookin' good.
I'm not saying Egypt was the land of sugarplums and gumdrops before, but when it comes to oppressive dictatorships, I'd take the one rooted in 1950 as opposed to 610.
Are we talking about the same Tunisia that I linked to upthread?
Because that doesn't look so good to me.
The one positive aspect from the riots in Tunisia is that Ennahda (Islamist party that won the last elections) has come out pretty strong against the Salafis.
When you see what happens to revolution in other countries, you appreciate George Washington and the boys even more.
Technically we really weren't a revolution, but a war for independence.
Indeed. We were, what's the word, oh yeah: "seceding" from England.
Yeah, we were actually a free country up until the Whiskey Rebellion.
Better than nothing I suppose.
I think anti-immigration feeling would be greatly diminished if unemployment were low, but for that, we'd need more laissez-faire policies.
Co-opted the revolution?
The "revolution" was just a bunch of street riots, it was the military performing a coup d'tat that actually changed the government in the first place.