# Morsy. New Strongman in town? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 24, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969 "2012-11-24T10:21:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/1 "2012-11-24T10:21:39Z")
I have not seen a thread on this yet. So if you do not know that the Egyptian President, fresh off earning Plaudits for his role in the Ghaza ceasefire has basically made himself the [absolute ruler of Misr.](http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/22/world/meast/egypt-morsy-powers/index.html?hpt=hp_t1). Now it is claimed that it is only temperory, only until a new constitution is drafted. …in 6 months But there have been clashes in Tahrir square, fairly small one true, but in Iskandariyyah his parties HQ was burnt down. So is the Bresident intending to cease more bower and become a Bahroah or is it just before the constitution is drafted? Should we remember [the 23rd of November](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6g9vv_1812-overture-v-for-vendetta_music) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/2 "2012-11-24T15:31:33Z")
You know, making fun of people’s accents is not cool. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/3 "2012-11-25T03:33:10Z")
The OP spoiled the seriousness of the debate already, right? It’s hard to imagine such a whiny singer being a political strongman. ETA: Morsi is playing an interesting game and I’m not sure of his goals yet. He’s intriguing, which Mubarak was not. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/4 "2012-11-25T04:54:00Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > The OP spoiled the seriousness of the debate already, right? > > It’s hard to imagine such a whiny singer being a political strongman. > ETA: Morsi is playing an interesting game and I’m not sure of his goals yet. He’s intriguing, which Mubarak was not. I don"t see what his game is. Even if he wanted to be another Mubarak, it does not make sense to advertise that at the present time and if he has shown one thing, that is a great amount of smarts. Perhaps this was done due to pressure from the Brotherhood, who do not have the virtue of patience? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/5 "2012-11-25T05:01:07Z")
Maybe. All I know is, if I look at it as a purely objective observer, it’s interesting and, if the people of Egypt and their neighbors will excuse me, kinda fun to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/6 "2012-11-25T05:04:46Z")
I’m just waiting for the Egyptian Military to decide they’ve had enough. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/7 "2012-11-25T05:06:22Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I’m just waiting for the Egyptian Military to decide they’ve had enough. Morsy fired most of the senior generals and replaced them with…persons of unknown loyalty. maybe **Alessen** might know better about the Misr armed forces loyalty to Morsy or lack thereof. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/8 "2012-11-25T09:57:16Z")
Sorry. As the Americans say, that’s way above my pay grade. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/9 "2012-11-25T10:24:06Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Sorry. As the Americans say, that’s way above my pay grade. How politicised is the Egyptian military? I know Mubarak was an Air Force officer (was he not their C in C in 1973)? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/10 "2012-11-25T12:14:04Z")
The Egyptian military, at least in its upper ranks, is hugely politicized; more than that, it’s also the largest business concern in the country, controlling billions of dollars in factories, trade and real estate. However, Morsy gutted its high command earlier this year, replacing it with his own people. I don’t know which way the mid-level officer corps leans, or for that matter, who the rank and file are loyal to. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/11 "2012-11-25T16:49:28Z")
Quite frankly, does anyone fell anything but depression? Another dictator comes to the fore-only this time, he’s an islamic dictator-Mubarek (for all his corruption) was at least open to Western ideals. Look for Egypt to sink further into decay-who is going to invest money in a country run by this guy? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/12 "2012-11-25T17:02:19Z")
It would appear, at least, that he’s banking on using the goodwill generated by playing honest broker over Gaza to ensure that the West will at worst stay neutral while he strengthens his position. May be a huge miscalculation, as the West may not have that much actual influence on the ground in Egypt. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/13 "2012-11-25T17:17:58Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > How politicised is the Egyptian military? I know Mubarak was an Air Force officer (was he not their C in C in 1973)? I’m not sure there’s a Middle Eastern military that isn’t highly politicized. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/14 "2012-11-25T17:18:10Z")
It’s possible this is all benevolent. Since the revolution, Morsy’s biggest opponent has been the courts, who have already dissolved parliament. There’s [the threat](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/23/egypt-mohamed-morsi) that they could dissolve the Constitutional Convention as well if they didn’t like its decisions. So I think it’s likely that he’s doing this to force the political process forward, not to seize dictatorial powers. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morsy-new-strongman-in-town/641969/15 "2012-11-25T17:31:41Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Quite frankly, does anyone fell anything but depression? Yes. I feel mainly a bit too ignorant, that I don’t know enough to know if I should be depressed. What I know is just enough to get me confused. The line-up: The military which both represents the old top guns and the rank and file mid level people who effectively manage much of the country. The rank and file mid levels are the ones who, as they say, know where the keys to the boiler room are kept. And make a nice living in return. And who want stability and not getting shot at by anyone. The judicial which seem to be in the main aligned with the old top guns and some with Mubarak cronies. Some not of course. Their actions so far have been to attempt to nullify much of what the election hath wrought. The “secularists” (a relative term that) and intellectuals who want a representational Islamic democracy that draws inspiration from Sharia law. The harder line Islamists who want Sharia law. The multitudes of uneducated citizens living mostly in poverty. Many of who hate Israel and the peace agreement with it. The middle class that are none of the above. International influences, such as from the United Staes and the EU. Morsi. Clearly no ones fool. He somehow managed to defang the top level military and keep the radical hard line elements that he came out of under control. He has to keep the rank and file military feeling less than existentially threatened, prevent the judicial elements that would prefer to return to some semblance of the old ways from blocking whatever is his intent (for good or naught), while mollifying the multitudes and the middle class all while trying to keep the secularists from reaching a critical mass of pissed off and not threatening funding from the US. I don’t know if _Lincoln_ could manage this particular team of rivals and I highly doubt Morsi is a Lincoln. I may end up depressed but for now I am reserving judgement. Too confused to do anything else.