When the " Arab Spring " swept through the Middle East the citizens of Egypt rose in their thousands to depose Hosni Mubarak from power. They suffered beatings from the police and many paid the ultimate price of losing their lives as they occupied Tahrir square for endless days to demand a new Egypt. Young men and women put their lives on the line to usher in a regime based on democracy and which would have as it's cornerstone the rule of law. The army sided with the demonstration - and Mubarak fell from power.
Not all of those agitating for change had the same vision for the future. A fundamentalist element desired an Egypt based on Sharia law and would settle for nothing less than an Islamic theocracy. When elections were held, the previously outlawed Muslim Brotherhood had the organising capacity to present it's case well - and swept into power. It had the task of brokering a new constitution and it succeeded in nominating one of it's own - Mohammad Morsi - as the new president.
Morsi has taken a bold step. He has simply given himself unlimited power to rule by decree - and he has granted himself dictatorial power by insisting that his decrees can not be challenged in the courts of law. This seems nothing less than a coup and some are calling him the " new Pharaoh ".
Egypt is on the brink of a new beginning - and the way ahead is not clear. It all depends on what sort of person Mohammad Morsi turns out to be. So far, the signs are promising.
He has shown resolve and clear vision in helping to negotiate a cease fire between Israel and the hot heads in Giza. Egypt is the only Arab country to have a peace treaty with Israel and so far Morsi is showing no signs of retreating from the mutual obligations that requires.
He will have to show his hand when it comes to the litmus test of this new constitution - and more to the point - whether he has the power to hold the Muslim Brotherhood in check and retain his position at the top of the pyramid of power. Success will depend on achieving even handedness in fostering good relations between the two branches of Islam - Sh'ite and Sunni - and the ten percent of Egyptian citizens who are Coptic Christians. To do that, he will have to reign in the element demanding a theocracy.
Egyptian politics will come under immense pressure from surrounding countries. The Middle East is awash with oil money and hatreds run deep between the tribal entities that head powerful clans. Morsi will need great wisdom to avoid being dragged into regional politics and having to choose sides between the west - and Arab nations rattling sabres and fomenting war.
The future of Egypt resides in the hands of this enigmatic Egyptian. It all depends on how he uses the power he has seized and if he remains a statesman with the fate of his country foremost. The books of history are littered with figures who came to power with good intentions - and later turned into monsters !
It is said that "power corrupts " - and that " absolute power corrupts - absolutely ! "
Something Morsi would do well to remember !
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