Egypt's Anti-Government Protests Continue

Capitalizing on the unpopularity of President Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Tamarod movement — organizer of the ongoing protests in Egypt — has demonstrated that it is a widespread popular phenomenon capable of mobilizing hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of Egyptians to protest against the current regime.

The Egyptian military's ultimatum demanding that all political forces reach a compromise within 48 hours belies the limitations of Egypt's most powerful institution. Caught between needing to respond to mass protests and unwilling to step into directly ruling the state itself, Egypt's disparate political forces must now reach a mutual agreement amongst themselves or risk a solution imposed upon them by the military.

The issue now turns to one of stamina. When protests of this size occurred in Egypt in 2011, it took 18 days for then-President Hosni Mubarak to be removed by the military; whether Tamarod can sustain the momentum of the current demonstrations remains to be seen. The upcoming days will be a test of endurance for both sides. If Tamarod succeeds in forcing the military's hand, it will be important to remember that the fall of Morsi does not in itself constitute a revolution especially if the Muslim Brotherhood is not completely pushed out of power. The military is still the ultimate source of power in the country; it was behind the removal of Mubarak in 2011, and for all its popularity, Tamarod has not shown that it desires to or is capable of challenging that reality.