Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Military Ousts Mohamed Morsi in Egypt

Al Jazeera's live feed is here.

And at the Lede blog, "The Lede: Latest Updates on Egypt’s Political Crisis."

Also at Legal Insurrection, "Morsi removed from power by military in Egypt."

And at the Wall Street Journal, "Egyptian Military Removes President: Morsi Rejects Move; Court Official Installed as Constitution Is Suspended":

CAIRO—The leader of Egypt's military ousted President Mohammed Morsi from office and replaced him with the head of the country's constitutional court—a move the presidential palace quickly branded a "complete military coup."

The announcements capped days of political crisis that brought millions of Egyptians out to the country's streets, spurring bellicose rhetoric from Mr. Morsi's backers and Egypt's military, and sparking deadly violence. Egyptians remained on the squares on Wednesday evening, the stark divides between their celebration and anger suggesting a new period of political uncertainty ahead.

In a terse televised statement Wednesday evening, Defense Secretary Gen. Abdel Fattah Al Sisi—joined by important Muslim, Coptic and oppositionchiefs—announced Mr. Morsi's ouster. The head of Egypt's highest court—Adly Mansour, a judge who was named to the position only two days earlier—would take over from Mr. Morsi effective immediately, he said.

Mr. Mansour is tasked with leading a technocratic government that will be "inclusive of all political factions" including youth, who Gen. Sisi said would be "empowered" under the terms of the new government.

Gen. Sisi also suspended the constitution that Mr. Morsi and his Islamist allies pushed through late last year in a controversial referendum, and charged the Supreme Constitutional Court with addressing the draft law for parliamentary elections.

The military leader—until recently a close ally of Mr. Morsi—said that a committee would be formed to amend the constitution.

Mr. Morsi's office rejected the move, but called on Egyptians to peacefully resist what it called a military coup. Mr. Morsi's statement came hours after he mounted what appeared to be a last-ditch effort to remain in power—offering a plan to form a coalition government to run parliamentary elections, and forming an independent committee to address constitutional amendments and present them to the coming parliament.
Continue reading.

Also at Foreign Affairs, "Foreign Affairs Report: A Year of Morsi."

Foreign Policy has a lot of excellent coverage, for example, "Celebrating a Disaster in Egypt," and "Can a Coup Ever Be Democratic?"

Still more at Memeorandum.

Expect updates ...

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