Egypt's armed forces chief warns unrest could cause collapse of state

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Guardian

In an ominous warning, the head of Egypt's armed forces has said that continuing civil unrest may soon cause the collapse of the Egyptian state.

Parts of Egypt are in turmoil following five days of rioting in which 52 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured after protests against President Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood and police brutality turned violent. The unrest comes two years after the start of the 2011 revolution that toppled the former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's comments have sparked fears that the military might once again intervene in the day-to-day governance of Egypt, a country effectively ruled for most of the past century by army officers.

Writing on the army's Facebook page, Sisi said: "The continuation of the struggle of the different political forces … over the management of state affairs could lead to the collapse of state."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/29/egypt-armed-forces-chief-warns-collapse

[bluedigger]

1. It's good he understands how it works.

Maybe the state should do something to quell the unrest?

[CJCRANE]

2. They needed a government of national unity

(with all factions represented) right at the beginning.

[David__77]

6. Why? The Egyptian people did not vote for that.

The Egyptian people chose Morsi, an MB constituent assembly as well. Sounds like sore losers.

[bemildred]

3. Funny how that works, isn't it? nt

[bemildred]

4. Egypt: protesters defy Morsi's curfew - Tuesday 29 January 2013

• The head of Egypt's armed forces has said that continuing civil unrest may soon cause the collapse of the Egyptian state. General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's comments have sparked fears that the military might once again intervene in the day-to-day governance of Egypt, a country effectively ruled for most of the past century by army officers.

• The continuing use of excessive force against protesters highlights the need to purge Egypt's police of human rights abusers, according Amnesty International. The UN's most senior human rights official Navi Pillay echoed Amnesty's concerned called on President Mohamed Morsi's government "to take urgent measures to ensure that law enforcement personnel never again use disproportionate or excessive force against protesters".

• Protesters defied a night-time curfew in towns along the Suez Canal, attacking police stations and ignoring the emergency rule imposed by the president, Mohamed Morsi. At least two men died in overnight fighting in the canal city of Port Said in the latest outbreak of violence unleashed last week on the eve of the anniversary of the 2011 revolt that brought down Hosni Mubarak. Huge crowds of protesters took to the streets in Cairo, Alexandria and in the three Suez Canal cities - Port Said, Ismailiya and Suez - where Morsi imposed emergency rule and a curfew on Sunday.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2013/jan/29/egypt-protests-defy-curfew-live

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. El Baradei and his crew seem determined to cause chaos.

They refused an offer from Morsi to talk today.

They seem to be egging on these proto-revolutionary violent protests.

Heading bravely into the whirlwind.