Egypt and the Treaty of Westphalia

[davidbfpo]

On the BBC News yesterday, Professor Rosemary Hollis was interviewed and remarked that 33% of the Egyptian economy is owned by the military.

Throughout the Mubarek years former soldiers dominated provincial government, albeit wearing suits and often after retirement. IIRC Egypt has an economy that is far from being "free market", has a huge public sector and subsidies are the way of keeping the peace.

That the army has promised to rebuild churches I'd take with a very large "pinch of salt". After the army drove vehicles into a peaceful march by Copts in 2011 (IIRC) and their absence from protecting churches of late I expect the Copts will wait to see what actually happens. Nor do I expect the Saudis and Gulf states will be too keen on their subsidies go on rebuilding any Christian churches.

A visitor to Egypt, who left in the Spring, has an interesting column and pays particular attention to the Coptic Christians:http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.c...stern.html?m=1

As one Copt said on the BBC yesterday, something akin to "Let them burn the churches, we with true Muslims will rebuild them". In support is this stunning photo, showing Muslims protecting a church and praying outside:https://twitter.com/EVA1970EVET/stat...940288/photo/1