As expected, the Egyptian military suspended Egypt's constitution and begun quelling the dissidents on the streets. Preventing another uprising, the military is showing what every coup d'etat leader in history has demonstrated. As the old adage goes, "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." It is unlikely that the Egyptian military general, who is a lifelong friend of Mubarak, will relinquish military hold on the country any time soon.
(Reuters) - Egypt's military delivered an ultimatum on Monday to dozens of committed protesters in Tahrir Square, nerve centre of a movement that toppled Hosni Mubarak, to leave and let life return to normal or face arrest.
Soldiers had scuffled with demonstrators the day before as they reopened the central Cairo square to traffic. Some protesters insisted on staying, determined to see through their demands for civilian rule and a free, democratic system.
Protest leaders say Egyptians will demonstrate again if their demands for radical change are not met. They plan a huge "Victory March" on Friday to celebrate the revolution, and perhaps to remind the military of the power of the street.
Egypt's generals, who played an important role in the anti-Mubarak revolt by making no effort to crush it, are asserting their control following Mubarak's overthrow.
Having suspended the constitution and dissolved parliament on Sunday, moves welcomed by those who saw both institutions as geared to serve Mubarak's personal ends, the military council was planning to issue orders intended to stifle disruption and get the country back to work, a military source said.
Free and fair elections will be held under a revised constitution, the military said, but it gave no timetable beyond saying it would be in charge "for a temporary period of six months or until the end of elections to the upper and lower houses of parliament, and presidential elections".
Political analysts were beginning to ask how long the whole process of amending the constitution, having a referendum on it and then holding elections would all take.
Egypt's army said it wowuld lift the hated state of emergency, implemented after the assassination of Mubarak's predecessor Anwar Sadat by Islamist soldiers and kept in place by Mubarak to stifle dissent, but has not specified a timetable which has troubled protesters.
The army said at the weekend it would uphold Egypt's international obligations. These include its peace treaty with Israel, whose defence minister has been in touch with his Egyptian counterpart, who heads the military council.
The army source said military authorities were expected to issue an order soon that would ban meetings by labour unions or professional syndicates, effectively forbidding strikes, and would tell all Egyptians to get back to work.
There would also be a warning from the military against those who created "chaos and disorder", the source said, adding the army would, however, acknowledge the right to protest.
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