Currently, there is a fierce fight between the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and the Egyptian Military.The MB is trying to weaken the military's grip on power by any means possible. By causing problems with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) while the economy is collapsing, the MB has made it clear that their primary interest is controlling all of the power in Egypt, not improving the ailing Egyptian economy.One reason for the increasing hostility between the two groups is the MB's perception that the military is the only impediment on its path to Islamizing Egypt. Over the last few decades, during the military's rule over Egypt, female circumcision was criminalized, the minimum age of marriage for girls became 18 years old, and women were given the right to divorce their husbands for the first time in the country's history.Contrary to the Egyptian military's secularism, the new Islamist-led parliament has already discussed plans to end the ban on female circumcision, decrease the age of marriage for girls to 12 years, and rescind Egyptian women's rights to divorce their husbands. Depriving the military of political power will only make the MB's plans to Islamize Egypt much easier.Another reason for the MB's increasing aggression towards the military is its fear that the MB's declining image may cause them to lose the next democratic elections. The Islamists failure in the recent Libyan elections has made the MB even more frightened about this possibility. Removing the military and controlling all of the power in Egypt will allow the MB to prevent this expected loss by simply preventing the next elections. A MB that has full control over Egypt will be able to stop elections by declaring democracy 'un-Islamic.'Preventing elections out of fear of losing those elections sounds eerily familiar: Hamas refused to hold elections in Gaza because they realized that they would probably lose. The third reason why the MB is intensifying its pressure on the military is that the latter – despite its mistakes – provides a shelter for the Christian minority and protects Christian economic interests.Several reports indicate that a significant portion of the Egyptian economy is in the hands of the Christian minority. The MB knows that by exerting pressure on these Christian minorities – limiting their personal freedoms and ignoring violent acts committed against them – they will ultimately force many Christians to leave the country and sell their assets, at a very low price, to the wealthy members of the MB and other Islamists. In such a case, the MB will gain full control over Egypt and re-institute the Islamic Caliphate.Another factor contributing to the MB's desire to weaken the military is that the military – unlike the MB – is committed to protecting Egypt's peace treaty with Israel and is unwilling to cooperate with radical Islamist groups such as Hamas.The MB has used several tactics in its assault against the military. These tactics include:1. Encouraging MB supporters to continue
demonstrating against the military and the legal system.
2. Issuing statements after the January 25 revolution trying to weaken Egypt's tourism industry, such as the statements that the MB would put
a ban on alcohol and bikinis. This hurts the tourism industry and weakens the Egyptian economy. A weak economy gives the MB a platform to deceive the public and ruin the image of the military by holding it responsible for economic failures.
3. Pressuring the military to stop enforcing emergency laws that are crucial for civilian safety. The resultant increase in crime can be easily used by the Islamists to label the military 'ineffective.' An increase in crime can also help the MB convince the population of the dire need to implement Sharia rules such as beheadings, stoning, and putting people on the cross to bring more safety to the street.
4. Using their supporters in the US and other western countries to defame the military, thus depriving them of important western support.
5. Causing instability in Egypt. For example, after the Islamist-led parliament elected a panel of a 100 members to create the constitution, the panel was considered unconstitutional because it included members of the parliament. When the same Islamist-led parliament was given the opportunity to choose another panel they also chose members of the parliament to be part of the second panel. Islamists are threatening violent reaction if the court dares to cancel the new panel. Repeating the same mistake again by choosing members of parliament in the second panel could be intentional. The MB may be trying to incite mass protests and cause troubles that will further weaken the military's position.
