Coup or revolution?

Now that Muslim Brotherhood man Mohammed Morsi's short stint as Egypt's first elected president has come to an end, we are left to wonder if what we witnessed in Egypt this week was a military coup or a full-blown revolution? The answer to that question depends, of course, on who you ask.

As far as the 14 million extremely organized and determined Egyptian protesters are concerned, this week's events were the second revolution in under three years. They credit themselves with having succeeded, in a very short time, to oust a longtime tyrant (Hosni Mubarak) and an elected president who tricked his people and took Egypt down a very undesirable path.

But according to Morsi's supporters, this was a military coup. If you examine the Egyptian army's conduct in the last days, you will have no doubt that all the elements of a military coup were at play. Such a thing is not exactly commonplace in democracies, which Egypt was supposed to be after its elections. It was the army that presented Morsi with a 48-hour ultimatum on Monday. On Wednesday, it was the army that completed the ouster after Morsi rejected its ultimatum the previous evening.

Initially, the army took over the Egyptian radio and television broadcast networks. Then, they took over the presidential palace, where the president was housed, and sent tanks into the center of Cairo. The army was also the voice to ultimately inform Morsi that he was no longer president, and to forbid senior Muslim Brotherhood officials from leaving Egypt. On Wednesday night, it was the army that announced the end of Morsi's reign, and it was the army that crowned a new president.

Still, one could classify the events of the passing week as a unique mix -- a combination of military coup and revolution. The generals themselves say that they operated on behalf of the people, and that the anti-Morsi protest movement, generated by the public, had dictated the army's agenda. The fireworks that were set off at Tahrir Square following the army's announcement were a convincing testament of that.

The revolution label is very convenient for the army. It makes the army's life much easier. It contributes to the its image as being attentive to the masses. Usually, when an army commandeers control over a country, it inevitably smells bad. Even the West usually doesn't hesitate before condemning such things. But in Egypt it is different.

The Egyptian army is taking down an Islamist regime. In December 1991 we saw the elections in Algeria cancelled by a military coup after the Muslim Brotherhood won in the first round. The world applauded them then, too. A politician with a beard inevitably prompts concern. Incidentally, the aftermath of the coup in Algeria was extremely bloody, with 100,000 casualties. In Egypt, the hope is for a sunnier and far less violent outcome. Egyptian Defense Minister Col. Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has made sure to surround himself with representatives of nearly all the political and religious streams in Egypt, including two senior religious authorities – Sunni and Coptic. Sissi wanted to demonstrate that the people support the army's actions while simultaneously highlighting the Muslim Brotherhood's isolation. Let us hope that the frustrated brotherhood doesn't find some way of exacting its revenge. The past has proven that the Muslim Brotherhood knows how to inflict real pain.

The burst of joy in Tahrir Square on Wednesday still does not guarantee a rosy future for Egypt. One year after the fall of Mubarak, on February 11, 2011, the same crowd of protesters yelled out "Tantawi, get out" and other anti-military slogans in Tahrir square. Sissi drew his own conclusions.

The best advice one could give to the new Egyptian leadership would be to hold free, credible elections as soon as possible, in order to assemble a parliament in which all the Egyptian sectors feel represented. Otherwise, Egypt is in for a lot more votes of no-confidence at Tahrir Square.

It was Mohammed ElBaradei, of all people, who was selected to give an address on Wednesday. He has been tagged as one of the leading candidates to succeed Morsi. But the fact that ElBaradei doesn't have a beard doesn't automatically make him someone who will cultivate peace with Israel. But this week, Egypt wasn't really focused on foreign policy. The only thing on the Egyptian agenda these days is internal affairs.

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