A post Mubarek Egypt - secular/democratic or religious theocracy?

[Old and In the Way]

I'm wondering if DUer's have a sense of how this will turn out....will a secular democracy take hold or will the religious fundie theocrats seize the opportunity to take control?

[xchrom]

1. i think it will be secular.

egypt is a fairly moderate place.

but we live in a time when the arab world is constantly brushed with the religious extremist brush.

[MH1]

9. instability will favor those in a best position to exploit it

I am afraid that might mean organized fundamentalism will get its foot in the door.

[xchrom]

11. that's first thing any body jumps to when talking about arab people. nt

[Uncle Joe]

13. Which is precisely why any and all secular forces need to rally around a unified leadership or

(On edit,) at least a set of unified principles.

[supernova]

2. I'm hoping for Turkey Take 2

But I have no idea, not knowing anyone there.

[sharesunited]

6. Turkey itself is sliding toward theocracy.

Everyone trying to out-Muslim one another.

[supernova]

8. Maybe, maybe not

[Ozymanithrax]

3. I am cofortable letting the Egyptians decide that.

In any case, it is way too early. El Baradei, one of the important leaders doesn't seem like the type to make it a religous theocracy if he should be elected.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. For the time being, a military run government.

The people seem to trust the military. It's hard to see "democracy" emerging when wealth is still concentrated in too few hands and the military is so strong. The "good" news is that the military won't want a fundamentalist government running things and screwing up their power. Not to mention the power of the USA to back the "stability" a paid off military will provide.

[The Magistrate]

7. Indeed, Sir: This Will Be A 'Meet The New Boss, Same As The Old Boss' Situation

Still, even the churning is generally to the good.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. My hope is that the military will give up power because they can't handle it.

The country is a mess, which is what caused the revolution. At best, the only thing the military has to offer is temporary "stability". The problems, particularly the economic problems, aren't about to be solved by generals. They will need to facilitate some sort of, at least, respectable semblance of democracy to get the needed aid and mollify the people.

At this point it is a bottom up social rather political revolution. I believe good will come of the churning because the military will have to negotiate with the people or lose them.

[malaise]

5. Neither

One more Western backed puppet.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

10. I see pan-arabism making a comeback

The frustrations in Egypt are substantially economic, a fanatical religious regime wouldn't be terribly popular.