By Emad Mekay
The army has sensed that the anti-Mubarak labor action over the past three days could push the country further towards disintegration as a state. Half the country was being brought to a halt. Municipalities weren’t functioning in many cities and villages. Province governors’ offices were mostly closed and even the Cabinet’s headquarters were besieged by anti-Mubarak protestors. With more labor rights actions threatened over the coming few days, it seems that the army thought it was time to take charge. The U.S.-backed top generals appear to have rationalized taking over as a step to protect the country according to its communiqué.
This perhaps means too that they are guarding against some confrontational and more assertive force such as the Muslim Brotherhood taking over that could in the future push the military into an unwanted war or an unplanned confrontation with either Israel or the West.
The people of Egypt are in a good mood though. The news that the army is taking over didn’t dent their optimism. They sense things are moving their way. The military may have different plans for them but for now the estimated 3 million people (according to Aljazeera) in Tahrir alone, not to mention millions of other Egyptians elsewhere, are winning. And they are happy.
It’s nice that the Egyptians are happy, of course. But they’ve only taken the first few steps on what can only be a long, hard road.