The military violence is weakening chances of a political reconciliation in Egypt.
In the calm that descended on Cairo on Thursday,in the aftermath of the military crackdown that left more than 500 people dead across the country,Egypts history appeared to have come full circle. Not only is the euphoria that followed the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 a distant memory,so is the relief felt by at least one section of Egypt when the military removed President Mohammed Morsi from power on July 3 this year. Once more,with the military at the helm,Egypt has reverted to the repressive state it was under Mubarak.
It seems the army wants to eliminate the Brotherhood as a political force altogether. That will only further derail Egypt from the path it was briefly on to end decades of repression. The US,which refused to call the July manoeuvre a coup,must now tell the generals off and consider withdrawing military aid. As the most populous Arab country and one-time leader of the Arab world,what happens in Egypt is crucial to peace and stability in the Middle East.