I *snip to avoid huge forum*.

Basically the opposition rallied around the Brotherhood immediatly after the removal of Mubarek as they were unaccosiated with any of his regime, a bit like how people swung to Labor in 1997 to remove the Tories on principle and elect Tony Blairs government.

Turned out it was a mistake in retrospect, as Morsi read being elected president to being elected dictator for life. The Army had been running the country for decades and hence knows how the mechanisms work in living memory. They saw the President overstepping and forcing through rewrites of the Constitution to serve his own needs, the mass protests occurred and they found they were the Army of the Egyptian civilians, not the government when it turned on the people. Hence the current Coup.

As I understand it, thats why the US president is Commander in Chief of the US forces as well as executive of the Federal Government.

And to answer, nothing really. The British Army has and will rebel if it feels the need, Oliver Cromwell for instance. I have heard rumors that the Army considered a similar action against the Thatcher government and during the Winter of Discontent. Funny how many poor people form the North ended up sighing up to the Military to get a job.

It's harder in the west, but not unthinkable if the civilian government turns on the population or doesn't do it's presumed duty then the military may feel its in its own duty to take control itself, Charles De Gaulle for instance ignored the French surrender and withdrew all forces and colonies prepared to continue fighting in the name of a state he was now technically at war with.

As I understand it, thats why the US president is Commander in Chief of the US forces as well as executive of the Federal Government.

And to answer, nothing really. The British Army has and will rebel if it feels the need, Oliver Cromwell for instance. I have heard rumors that the Army considered a similar action against the Thatcher government and during the Winter of Discontent. Funny how many poor people form the North ended up sighing up to the Military to get a job.

It's harder in the west, but not unthinkable if the civilian government turns on the population or doesn't do it's presumed duty then the military may feel its in its own duty to take control itself, Charles De Gaulle for instance ignored the French surrender and withdrew all forces and colonies prepared to continue fighting in the name of a state he was now technically at war with.

I have heard rumors that the Army considered a similar action against the Thatcher government and during the Winter of Discontent.

Interesting. The "million man" marches against the Poll Tax or Iraq war didn't result in a government overthrow. Turnouts were far higher than the current unrests in Egypt and yet the result is so so different.

It's a fascinating situation and yet I can't help having a bad feeling about it. The two different cultures manifest themselves in such different ways.

I suppose it comes down to "long term" democracy embedding itself vs the "New" democracy finding its feet.

Edit - I didn't put that very well - democracy obviously evolved in various countries - perhaps countries like Egypt are trying to achieve democracy as a "perfect" model when the reality is that it takes a long time. And it isn't perfect - that paradigm between perfect and perceived must be pretty harsh.

What is a government if it's not at its citizens service?

Democracy, this word should mean something, it's meant to mean something.

What happened in Egypt at some point is a democracy lesson at the highest level for many countries armies, an Army reminding the government they're at their citizens service and not their executioners, preventing a larger human disaster in the country it self and surrounding ones eventually.

The democracy process is on the road for this country, the example given by Egyptian army should be taken by many others where those armies neutrality leads to fake democracies and citizens arresting/murderers with the complicity of existing governments to keep their citizens mouth shut and benefit of those same citizens taxes to have better conditions.

I respectfully salute Egyptian army for respecting their country citizens wish and make it happen "smoothly" for a better process of democracy and liberty of this noble country and people.

What is a government if it's not at its citizens service?

I rather liked one of the headlines i saw.

'Morsi Beau Coup'