The Role of Egypt’s Military

The Role of Egypt’s Military
Egyptian army soldiers walk through Tahrir Square after opening it for traffic Sunday. Getty Images/John Moore
The Role of Egypt’s Military
Egyptian army soldiers walk through Tahrir Square after opening it for traffic Sunday. Getty Images/John Moore

The Role of Egypt’s Military

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After weeks of massive protests calling for his ouster, Egypt’s longtime leader Hosni Mubarak finally stepped down as president.  The military is now in control and promises to move forward on a democratic transition. Andrew McGregor, author of A Military History of Modern Egypt, examines the enormous role Egypt’s military has played in society and whether it will make good on its promises. In 1998, the people of Indonesia overthrew a military dictatorship backed by the U.S.  We’ll take a look at what Egypt might learn from Indonesia’s experience with Jeffrey Winters, professor of political science at Northwestern University.