Both Islamists and liberals are the losers and both played their part in this sad saga. After getting elected as President, Mr. Morsi acted as a dictator, violated minority rights, unilaterally imposed Muslim Brotherhood agenda and broke every democratic norm. He was incompetent and short-sighted.

The opposition mainly composed of liberals and secularists never accepted the free democratic election results and used all the energies to undermine the democratic process. They asked for military intervention and forgot that all the previous dictators came from military. They had no patience to wait for the next elections and they were as short-sighted as Islamists.

Samer Shehata, Associate professor of International Studies at University Of Oklahoma writes:

“  Fair elections have improved the Brotherhood’s campaign skills. But it hasn’t fully committed to pluralism or to equal rights for minorities. It participates in democracy, but doesn’t want to share power.

Many in the opposition, on the other hand, believe fiercely in minority rights, personal freedoms, civil liberties and electoral coalition-building — as long as the elections keep Islamists out of power. In other words, they are liberal without being democrats; they are clamoring fervently for Mr. Morsi’s ouster and want the military to intervene. But they have proved themselves woefully unequipped to organize voters. Though my heart is with their democratic goals, I must admit that their commitment to democratic principles runs skin deep.”

I agree with Wequar Sahib’s comments in on the meetings that religion and state affairs should not mix. But the fact is that in Muslim countries Islamists just cannot be wished away. They only can be defeated in democratic process and they thrive in chaos. Islamists win elections because they are more organized and committed. The answer by the liberals and secularist should be to organize and convince the public that they can manage and run the country and will not undermine the personal freedoms of religion. Undermining the democratic process is self-defeating. In Pakistan , despite the religious extremism, the moderate political parties, Muslim League-N and PPP, are very organized and always beat Islamists in fair elections.

Samer Shehata writes in the same article;

“Still, integrating Islamists is essential if Egypt is to have stable, democratic politics. Movements like the Brotherhood are a core constituency in Egyptian society; democracy requires their inclusion. If the millions in the streets want the Brotherhood out of power, they must learn to organize and campaign effectively, and vote them out.

That would be the best way to establish liberal democracy in Egypt. Removing Mr. Morsi through a military coup supported by the secular and liberal opposition could well be the worst.”

F.Sheikh