Those words “Egypt is Free” less the question mark appeared as the headline banner on today’s Los Angeles Daily News. A very nice thought but it just isn’t true.

Egypt has been transformed but to what? Hosni Mubarak was a dictator who was from the ranks of the Egyptian military. Now that Mr. Mubarak is gone, probably by a bloodless coup, the military is in charge. It is the same military that supported Gamel Abdel Nasser and Anwar El Sadat. As of yesterday , Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is the president.

Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

The first President of Egypt was Muhammad Naguib, one of the leaders of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, who took office on 18 June 1953, the day on which Egypt was declared a republic. He was a military officer who led the revolt against King Farouk.

Does anyone really believe there will be a democracy in Egypt? The military is in control as it has been since the 1952 revolution and there is no evidence that their leadership will surrender authority. The most Egyptians can hope for is a less authoritarian leadership. 

Apparently I am not alone in my opinion. Egypt’s Military Leaders Face Power Sharing Test is a column in the February 11, 2011 New York Times.