Watch Live: Congressional Hearing on IRS Scandal

Live Now on TheBlaze Radio: ‘The Buck Sexton Show’

World

Egyptian Opposition Leader: ‘Pharaoh’ Morsi Must Rescind Recent Edicts or ‘Cycle of Violence’ Likely to Begin

Nov. 24, 2012 10:38pm Erica Ritz

In this Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 photo released by the Egyptian Presidency, President Mohammed Morsi speaks to supporters outside the Presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt. (Photo: AP)

(TheBlaze/AP) — Nobel Peace laureate Mohammed ElBaradei, who was once expected to be the leader of post-revolution Egypt, warned Saturday of increasing turmoil that could potentially lead to the military stepping in unless the Islamist president rescinds his new, near absolute powers, as the country’s long fragmented opposition sought to unite and rally new protests.

Egypt’s liberal and secular forces – long divided, weakened and uncertain amid the rise of Islamist parties to power – are seeking to rally themselves in response to the decrees issued this week by President Mohammed Morsi. The president granted himself sweeping powers to “protect the revolution” by making himself immune to judicial oversight.

The judiciary, which was the main target of Morsi’s edicts, pushed back firmly on Saturday. The country’s highest body of judges, the Supreme Judical Council, called his decrees an “unprecedented assault,” and courts in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria announced a work suspension until the decrees are lifted.

It remains to be seen whether Morsi cares what the judges have to say.

Egyptian former Prosecutor-General Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud speaks during a press conference on November 24, 2012 in Cairo, as defiant Egyptian judges hit back at President Mohamed Morsi. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Outside the high court building in Cairo, several hundred demonstrators rallied against Morsi, chanting, “Leave! Leave!” echoing the slogan used against former leader Hosni Mubarak in last year’s uprising that ousted him. Police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of young men who were shooting flares outside the court.

The edicts issued Wednesday have galvanized anger brewing against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, from which he hails, ever since he took office in June as Egypt’s first freely elected president. Critics accuse the Brotherhood – which has dominated elections the past year – and other Islamists of monopolizing power and doing little to bring real reform or address Egypt’s mounting economic and security woes.

Oppositon groups have called for new nationwide rallies Tuesday – and the Muslim Brotherhood has called for rallies supporting Morsi the same day, setting the stage for new violence.

Morsi supporters counter that the edicts are necessary to prevent the courts, which already dissolved the elected lower house of parliament, from further holding up moves to stability by disbanding the assembly writing the new constitution. Like the parliament, the assembly is dominated by Islamists, whom many fear will write a constitution based on Islamic law.

In an interview with a handful of journalists, including The Associated Press, ElBaradei raised alarm over the impact of Morsi’s rulings, saying he had become “a new pharaoh.”

Mohammed ElBaradei says dialogue with Egypt’s Islamist president is not possible until he rescinds his decrees giving himself near absolute powers, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012. (Photo: AP)

“There is a good deal of anger, chaos, confusion. Violence is spreading to many places and state authority is starting to erode slowly,” he said. “We hope that we can manage to do a smooth transition without plunging the country into a cycle of violence. But I don’t see this happening without Mr. Morsi rescinding all of this.”

Speaking of Egypt’s powerful military, ElBaradei said, “I am sure they are as worried as everyone else. You cannot exclude that the army will intervene to restore law and order” if the situation gets out of hand.

But anti-Morsi factions are chronically divided, with revolutionary youth activists, new liberal political parties that have struggled to build a public base and figures from the Mubarak era, all of whom distrust each other. The judiciary is also an uncomfortable cause for some to back, since it includes many Mubarak appointees who even Morsi opponents criticize as too tied to the old regime.

Opponents say the edicts gave Morsi near dictatorial powers, neutering the judiciary when he already holds both executive and legislative powers. One of his most controversial edicts gave him the right to take any steps to stop “threats to the revolution,” vague wording that activists say harkens back to Mubarak-era emergency laws.

‘Morsi Go’ is written in Arabic on the road in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on November 24, 2012, a day after opposition-led protests were held in most of Egypt’s major cities sparking violent clashes. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in nationwide protests on Friday, sparking clashes between anti-and pro-Morsi crowds in several cities that left more than 200 people wounded.

On Saturday, new clashed broke out in the southern city of Assiut. Morsi opponents and members of the Muslim Brotherhood swung sticks and threw stones at each other outside the offices of the Brotherhood’s political party, leaving at least seven injured.

ElBaradei and a six other prominent liberal leaders have announced the formation of a National Salvation Front aimed at rallying all non-Islamist groups together to force Morsi to rescind his edicts.

The National Salvation Front leadership includes several who ran against Morsi in this year’s presidential race – Hamdeen Sabahi, who finished a close third, former foreign minister Amr Moussa and moderate Islamist Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh. ElBaradei says the group is also pushing for the creation of a new constitutional assembly and a unity government.

ElBaradei said it would be a long process to persuade Morsi that he “cannot get away with murder.”

Thousands of Egyptian demonstrators march through the streets of Cairo to protest against Egypt’s Islamist President Mohamed Morsi’s power grab, on November 23, 2012. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

“There is no middle ground, no dialogue before he rescinds this declaration. There is no room for dialogue until then.”

The grouping seems to represent a newly assertive political foray by ElBaradei, the former chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency. ElBaradei returned to Egypt in the year before Mubarak’s fall, speaking out against his rule, and was influential with many of the youth groups that launched the anti-Mubarak revolution.

But since Mubarak’s fall, he has been criticized by some as too Westernized, elite and Hamlet-ish, reluctant to fully assert himself as an opposition leader.

The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice political party, once headed by Morsi, said Saturday in a statement that the president’s decision protects the revolution against former regime figures who have tried to erode elected institutions and were threatening to dissolve the constitutional assembly.

The Brotherhood warned in another statement that there are forces trying to overthrow the elected president in order to return to power. It said Morsi has a mandate to lead, having defeated one of Mubarak’s former prime ministers this summer in a closely contested election.

Protesters storm an office of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood Freedom and Justice party and set fires in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, Egypt, Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (Photo: AP)

Morsi’s edicts also removed Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud, the prosecutor general first appointed by Mubarak, who many Egyptians accused of not prosecuting former regime figures strongly enough.

Speaking to a gathering of judges cheering support for him at the high court building in Cairo, Mahmoud warned of a “vicious campaign” against state institutions. He also said judicial authorities are looking into the legality of the decision to remove him – setting up a Catch-22 of legitimacy, since under Morsi’s decree, the courts cannot overturn any of his decisions.

“Morsi will have to reverse his decision to avoid the anger of the people,” said Ahmed Badrawy, a labor ministry employee protesting at the courthouse. “We do not want to have an Iranian system here,” he added, referring to fears that hardcore Islamists may try to turn Egypt into a theocracy.

Several hundred protesters remained in Cairo’s Tahrir Square Saturday, where a number of tents have been erected in a sit-in following nearly a week of clashes with riot police.

—-

Brian Rohan contributed to this report from Cairo.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (78)

KangarooJack
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 2:08am
Poor dude, he has to appease those that would harm his family/himself if he does not follow the edict…What better way to dispense with those pesky Democracy idiots that protested…Ahhh, dispense with the entire mess. The MB is NOT YOUR IRISH/ARAB SPRING SOAP

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Scooby_Do
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 6:36am
  This was all predcted by anyone with the courage to face the truth about the “Arab Spring.” Read fresh political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
  Report this comment
- johnpaulkuchtajr
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 6:51am
  Are you telling me that the Pro-MB forces could launch a bloody attack against the Anti-MB forces in the same square where our old ally Hosni Mubarak saw his regime toppled?
  
  Could hundreds of thousands of Islamists be consumed in a real knock-down, drag-out, roadhouse bar fight of a revolution?
  
  Durn, that would be a real shame, wouldn’t it? I’d hate to see guys that we’ll have to fight someday whacking each other. I have some old machetes in the shed. Is there a distribution network shipping donations to both sides? Do they accept old kitchen knives? How about baseball bats?
  
  I’ll do anything I can for freedom fighters everywhere!
  
  “Remember Benghazi”
  
  Report this comment
- THERAPTURCOMES
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 4:01pm
  People of the world, can you not see that these are end time events as prophesied by the bible to take place thousands of years ago? Just look at Isaiah 19 and understand that this is taking place right before your eyes.
  
  Just as Isaiah 17:1, Zech 12, Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38&39 will take place.
  
  Read and believe Romans 10:9-10 before it is to late and the resurrection/rapture (1 Thes 4:13-18, 1 Cor 15;50-55) comes and goes leaving you behind to face the wrath of God on an unbelieving world
  
  If you believe Romans 10:9-10 then you will be taken OUT OF this world as promised by Revelation 3:10
  
  If you are left behind then watch this video http://youtu.be/ahEVxIzlxwo In this video is the information you will need to have in a left behind world
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 2:00am
.
There will never be peace, as long as the Muslim Brotherhood is running the country.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- G-WHIZ
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:59pm
  They are running the entire ****** world including OUR GOVERNMENT! Why do you think King-Ocommie hired several MISLIMBROTHERHOODS to HIS cabbinet and “appointed” positions???
  
  Report this comment
spikebu
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 1:42am
The use of the title Pharaoh is freaking spooky. I understand, that is the intent. Morsi’s agenda is comparable to Pharaohs. Pharaoh wanted his country to quit suffering. He said the Israeli’s could leave his country. Then he changed his mind. We all know what God did to the Egyptians after Pharaoh said they could leave and then broke his word. Morsi helped to broker a cease fire? Just like Pharaoh. Huh.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
sparkyrules
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 1:38am
Morsi can take a ride on the Reading…CHOO,CHOO…nothing but a dark fat middle finger at the end.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
4-The-Truth
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:51am
Morsi learned this power grab from Obama, now maybe we need to learn from the Egyptians and revolt.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
kalli
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:44am
It is sickening to know our braindead congressional members continue to send money and arms to this evil man. I look to both morsi’s and our deceiver-in-chief’s fall from grace as they have both done evil in the eyes of the Lord and are playing right into His plans. Yippee Ki Ya!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- KangarooJack
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 2:03am
  Mother……..
  
  Report this comment
powedj
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:12am
Add your comments

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Chuck Stein
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:30am
  Add MY comments? How about some comments from Der Obamasar?
  
  Report this comment
- PIGSWILLNEVERFLY
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:54am
  A November 23 story at http://www.debka.com says that US special forces are pledged to Sinai in the next 48 hours. 0 pledge to send US troops won Israel’s nod for the ceasefire. This is to prevent Gaza from re-arming. No one else has reported this.
  
  “Did Morsi give Hamas the go ahead to launch a conflict with Israel in order to be able to broker a ceasefire and then use that as leverage for seizing domestic power?”
  
  Report this comment
- RIGHT_WHERE_IT_HURTS
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 1:27am
  “The Last King Of Scotland’ you mean?
  
  Report this comment
- LFreeman
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 6:39am
  My Son is on a Navy ship in the Middle East and although their deployment was supposed to last through March, they are headed home. Through this area…he said he couldn’t tell me anything other than “this is bad Mom”. They will travel through the Suez Canal…I am scared now.
  
  Report this comment
AbrahamsSheepdog
Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:01am
Were is the hider-in-chief slithering around again? Echo…echo…echo. there’s no one there. Maybe Hillary (our secret weapon) didn’t have her skeletor mask on during scolding.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:29am
  This clown cannot keep peace in his own country. What a joke. Brohoods don’t play. Hey let’s send over our occupy rejects. Those protesters need thier help. It’s perfect, they don’t work either. BFF’s real quick. They could show each other new video games too. Pizzas.. good times. Yeah ocuterd Cairo.
  
  Report this comment
- CHROME_PLATED_HEART
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:48am
  ” Hey, hey Skleletor…I’ll shave my legs for you…”
  
  Report this comment
Isis79
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:56pm
And Obama stays silent?…go figure. He wants the Muslim Brotherhood to rule the Middle East so all I can say is get ready for violence in the United States as well against a corrupt president and treacherous administration.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:51pm
Morsi has sealed his own fate if he continues down this road. I wonder how Obama is feeling now with one of his allies beginning to feel the heat as did Mubarak.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
JACKTHETOAD
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:51pm
I hereby nominate Anwar Sadat for the Nobel Peace Prize. I also recommend several others be rescinded immediately!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
OLDPAINT
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:35pm
And our very own Ramsesupourbutts sayeth ‘Tut-tut.’

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Patriot Z
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:35pm
so anyone still mad that we worked with mubarak? he was a dictator ..yes..but at least he was one we could work with. so now what? we forced out our guy and let them elect another dictator with an unyeilding desire to destroy us, israel and impose islamic law… good job!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- sacwoodpusher
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 5:59am
  There are no good muslims. They’ll overrun us because we fear being tbought racist.
  
  Report this comment
Triple7
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:33pm
After the election of his pal Barry,Morsi decided to show him what having more flexibility means

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:08am
  Thats called a choke hold. See you “flex” your bicep with every gasp.
  
  Report this comment
lwilli201
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:29pm
The MSM is even covering this but for how long. This has to be embarrassing for Obama. So who will Obama back now? Will he arm the resistance? How will Obama react when the body count starts to build up. I am sure he will write it off as a bump in the road. I believe that a secular government in Egypt would be more friendly to Israel. This a perfect example on how fast power will embolden a person.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- NancyBee
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:54am
  Morsi got the big head fast..didn’t he?? a wanna be dictator…you know who I blame?
  
  Report this comment
- GO-FOR-LIBERTY
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 5:58am
  “Will he arm the resistance?” Hmmm~~let’s see. Right now they are fighting with “sticks and stones”. Where do you think all that killer ammo is going to go that Brrick has bought and stockpiled in gov. agencies that don’t have a use for them? Hold on tight for the bumps in the road are going to be many and big.
  
  Report this comment
TJexcite
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:28pm
Will the army allow Morsi to do anything that threats the cash cow of US money and real peace. Something like an order to give US made long range missiles to Hamas in Gaza. Ones that can go 300 miles with pin point accuracy and the Iron Dome is useless on them as they out of range in the 15 seconds with targets deep in Israel.

That is one way to have Morsi stand down. But as it is now he is president for life and nothing will stop that.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
davidwjohnson
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:28pm
Somewhat concerning President Obama hasn’t made a public statement asking Morsi to rescind his edict.

Liberty erodes when you remain silent.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Diane TX
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:24am
  That’s because Morsi didn’t ask Obama to rescind HIS dictatorial edicts.
  
  Report this comment
- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:38am
  Does jay-z have another party going? Million dollar “pyramid” party. Wait is it b-ball session? Uh-oh, he maybe distracted.
  
  Report this comment
- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:56am
  I wonder if he peed his pants or crapped em. He’s started a big fire in a hornets nest.
  
  Report this comment
TJexcite
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:22pm
It still will all come down to which way the army goes. They have replaced the leadership generals but not the middle to low rank member. They have their own interests in how to keep the peace. If that is Sharia, time will tell but if that is a status quo similar to the last 30 years under Mubarak more the better. Will the army allow the judges to be arrested or do it themselves on the orders of Morsi.

Just some questions that will come out sooner than latter. Just how deep is the Muslim Brotherhood inflation in to the army and is there really any. Are the some divisions that are fully loyal to the MB or and then some division loyal to peace. Same with the official Cairo Police and is there an unofficial police and enforcers.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- lwilli201
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:45pm
  It is interesting how easy it was for the demonstrators to trash and burn many MB offices in many cities. Arresting the judges would turn this into a full blown civil war. It does not seem very hard for resistance movements to acquire weapons in that part of the world. It will be interesting on the direction the rank and file in the military will take. The old generals with support of the troops could step back into their positions and Morsi could do nothing to stop it from happening.
  
  Report this comment
GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:22pm
It seems Chavez has a potential new best friend forever….

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
jedi.kep
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:18pm
Muslim Brotherhood? Absolute power?

Gee. Never saw that one coming. <<<<INSERT DRIPPING SARCASM HERE<<<<

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
BlackCrow
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:09pm
Is ANYONE with half a brain surprised at this? What is surprising is that it took him this long.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Seth Patriot
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:57pm
Maybe Morsi can get some advice from Bill Kristal on how to proceed.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Gary_K
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:48pm
Violence will begin?

This is Egypt, right?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
progressiveslayer
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:48pm
Some Egyptians are having buyers remorse for putting a known MB member and ally of Barrys in power eh? That ‘Arab spring’ the Marxist mulatto POS sold you has a bitter taste huh? We’re having problems with our Marxist mulatto POS fraud president here as well,he has this faux rage against millionaires and billionaires but don’t tell his simpleton worshipers that they’re disillusioned enough already.

BTW if you Egyptians want some semblance of freedom remove your MB president and eliminate the MB from your country otherwise you’ll end up like Iran.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- LFreeman
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 6:34am
  The rage is faux because he is one of them. Hypocrite to the highest extent.
  
  Report this comment
IndyGuy
Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:42pm
I’m sure Morsi responded with…Bring It…

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- rickc34
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 10:57pm
  Evil rules the land with evil men ruling the land. Morsi and Obama cut from the same cloth.
  
  Report this comment
- OLDPAINT
  Posted on November 24, 2012 at 11:46pm
  Another King of Mars soon to be dethroned.
  
  Report this comment
- Diane TX
  Posted on November 25, 2012 at 12:20am
  It would seem that we have the same problem here with Obama. The “Dream Act” not enacted by Congress, so Obama unilaterally enacts it, (who needs a stinking Congress). The Defense of Marriage Act was passed by Congress, Obama unilaterally “invalidates” it, (again, who needs a stinking Congress).
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.