[Skybird]

From the moment on when the West helped the fundamentalists into power, none of the events, by their sequence , really came as a surprise. Not the attempt by the religious to abuse democracy to install a fundamentalist state, not the military stepping onto the scene, and not the pogroms the MB now runs against the Coptian Christians (once again).

There are worse scenarios for Egypt than a military ruling.

From an American, European and Israeli perspective, anything is better than a fundamentalist regime establishing its power in Egypt. I strongly recommend to learn - finally learn! - from the examples set by Turkey, Tunisia, Libya and Syria. We should only consider our options for influencing if the fundamentalists come back to power. Unfortunately, Europeans so far act exactly by the opposite, and Obama is manouvering.

What is needed again, is a relatively stable Egypt that keeps the religious in check. Like Mubarak did. I know the military is corrupted in itself to quite some degree. But that is the far lesser evil. Ideological and idealistic maximum demands will not help the situation. What is needed from a Western POV is Realpolitik and a healthy amount of remembering our own and Israel's interests.

Beyond that, this is an issue the Egyptians have to deal with and to solve - it is their conflict, so let them run the show. Let them do it, and let us stay out as long as not our vital own interests are affected. In solutions bringing the fundamentalists into power we shall not have the smallest interest.