Military action to remove President Mohamed Morsi from power in Egypt must be a temporary measure to facilitate a fair and democratic transfer of power to new elected leaders, experts from the Henry Jackson Society (HJS) think tank have stressed.
Emerging reports of a military coup in the country today have been condemned by the HJS, which aims to support and promote liberal democracies around the world.
However the think tank has said the refusal by President Morsi to listen to the demands of the Egyptian people has directly led to the current instability in Egypt.
Executive Director of the HJS Dr Alan Mendoza said: “Militaries should not dictate legitimate democracies. Any move by the Egyptian army must be temporary, and must set out a clear roadmap for a transfer of powers between democratically elected politicians.
“Morsi must take ultimate blame for the position he finds himself. He has refused to listen to his detractors, and has not understood the necessity of compromise and consensus in democratic rule.”
Henry Jackson Society research fellow Emily Dyer, who travelled to Egypt last month to speak to opposition protesters and key players in the Freedom and Justice Party, said: “The current crisis has been sparked by the refusal of either side to back down or concede ground following the June 30th protests.
“Egyptians are demanding the freedoms they fought for during the revolution, and it is vital now that a path must be set which allows a democratic leader to build trust among the people.”