Saudis credited for Egyptian coup

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WASHINGTON – The sudden Egyptian military coup to oust democratically elected but Muslim Brotherhood-supported President Mohammad Morsi is being viewed by regional analysts as a coordinated effort among Gulf Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, according to report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

"Perhaps the army and its Gulf backers thought that their 'shock and awe' coup, plus the MB's leadership decapitation, would leave the MB and their followers 'psychologically seared by defeat' and appropriately docile," according to Alastair Crooke, former MI6 analyst and Middle East specialist who oversees the Beirut-based Conflicts Forum.

However, familiar with being "victims," the Brotherhood appears to be taking an opposite approach, developing a deep resentment and anger over the forced ouster of the president.

"Against all the odds, the MB perceive themselves as having come to power legitimately, and on the back of 80 years of patient groundwork," Crooke said. "Yet, they still had expected to be deposed from office" after Morsi gave in to much of what the West sought, contrary to the Brotherhood's own ideas on where to head Egypt in the future.

Crooke claims the army was behind pushing the opposition to demonstrate and demand Morsi's ouster after only one year in office. He further claims the Army's efforts were financed by the Gulf Arab states of the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, both of which oppose the Brotherhood and the spread of their influence in the Gulf.

He further indicated that the role of these Gulf states was at the behest of Saudi Arabia.

"It was the army which egged on the opposition to fashion a crisis of legitimacy narrative, well-funded by UAE and Kuwait, that would allow the army to intervene," Crooke said.

The analyst believes the Brotherhood will not appear contrite or admit to mistakes during Morsi's period of governing. Instead, he foresees the prospect that Brotherhood unrest will spread to the Sinai and into the Suez Canal zone.

Indeed, as the Brotherhood expands its violent demonstrations throughout Egypt, clashes are erupting between pro- and anti-Morsi factions in the Sinai as police stations have come under attack. Five policemen recently were killed by Brotherhood supporters in the Sinai city of el-Arish, say Egyptian security officials.

Col. Ahmed Ali, a spokesman for the Egyptian military, said the Muslim Brotherhood is trying to "pick a fight" with the military and "drag it to a clash in order to send a message to the West that what happened in the country is a coup and that the military is cracking down on the peaceful protesters."

Anti-Brotherhood protesters are saying much the same thing, calling their supporters to hit the streets "to defend popular legitimacy" against what they call a "malicious plot" by the Brotherhood.

With the interim government now "Islamist-free," Crooke sees Egypt being restored to "Mubarakism without Mubarak," referring to the previously ousted President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, who had the full backing of the military until demonstrations brought the country to a standstill and caused his removal.

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