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In the Middle East, Militaries Remain the Ultimate Power Brokers

(Washington Times) Daniel Pipes - Tunisia's experience bears close examination for a pattern that may be repeated elsewhere. The military leadership there apparently concluded that its strongman, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, had become too high-maintenance to maintain in power, so it ousted him. That done, nearly the entire remaining old guard remains in power, with the top military man, Chief of Staff Rachid Ammar, apparently having replaced Ben Ali as the country's power broker. The old guard hopes that tweaking the system, granting more civil and political rights, will suffice for it to hold on to power. This scenario could be repeated elsewhere, especially in Egypt, where soldiers have dominated the government since 1952 and intend to maintain their power against the Muslim Brotherhood they have suppressed since 1954. The writer is director of the Middle East Forum and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution. He lived in Egypt for three years.
2011-02-03 08:42:38
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