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Showing posts from February 15, 2011

Army hopes to hand Egypt to civilian rule by August

By Andrew Hammond and Peter Millership CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt's new military rulers said on Tuesday they hoped to hand power over to an elected civilian leadership within six months and that they had no desire to keep control following the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak. The remarks carried on the state agency were the clearest indication since Mubarak was forced to resign on Friday that the high command was committed to a brief timeframe for meeting the demands of pro-democracy protesters for a new start. Some secular leaders have raised concerns, however, that racing into presidential and parliamentary elections in a nation where Mubarak had suppressed most opposition activity for 30 years may hand an advantage to the Muslim Brotherhood, probably Egypt's best organized political force. "The Higher Military Council expressed its hope to hand over power within six months to a civilian authority and a president elected in a peaceful and free manner that expresses...