SCOTT SIMON, host:
Egypt's military leaders gave some indication today of how they will rule the country in the wake of President Hosni Mubarak's resignation. The military said that the country will abide by international agreements. It also said the government appointed by President Mubarak will remain in place until a new one is formed.
Joined now in our studios by Paul Sullivan, a professor of economics at the National Defense University, and an expert's on Egypt military. Thanks very much for being with us Professor Sullivan.
Prof. PAUL SULLIVAN (Economics, Security Studies, National Defense University): Good morning, Scott.
SIMON: And help up read this statement out of the military leaders of Cairo today. What does it mean specifically?
Prof. SULLIVAN: Well, it means what it says, that they're going to abide by those treaties, particularly the one with Israel. They're looking to the future of Egypt, and they're also looking to the future of the Egyptian military.
Most of Egypt's military equipment is from the United States. We give them $1.3 billion each year. It works out to about 25 percent of their known budget, so that's pretty significant. Also, there are other aid to the Egyptian military through the Europeans and so forth.
If they were ever to abrogate this treaty and do something contrary to what they said this morning, more than likely that aid would be cut off. The gravy train would be over. It would be very difficult for them to get replacement parts, maintenance and so forth. That's part of it also.
And also, there's been a very strong relationship between the militaries and the United States and the military in Egypt. These are long-term friendships, long-term collegial relationships, long-term trade relationships, long-term aid relationships.
And this is strong, it will likely remain strong. And one of the binding forces in this is to make that the international treaties are abided by.
SIMON: Yeah. Knowing the Egyptian military as you do, Professor Sullivan, is this - do you have confidence that this is a group that is going to arrange for a democracy to take power in short order?
Prof. SULLIVAN: My sense is that this is what they're looking toward. These are intelligent men. They're very clever men, and they're thinking strategically. They also know that the whole world is watching, and that their people are watching as well.
This is the age of Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and CNN and NPR and BBC. But also these don't seem to be the sort of fellows that want to hold onto power forever. They'd rather returned to their commands. This is a temporary thing. The higher Council for the armed forces has always been a temporary thing, and theyve only met twice before in the 67 war and the 73 war and now, now. Because the armed forces saw this as a threat to the stability of the country.
The tipping point was yesterday morning when the throngs came out into the street after President Mubarak's speech, which he had hoped would resolve the situation but actually inflamed it further.
Some of the responsibilities of the military include the stability of the state, protection of the Constitution, protection from outside and internal threat. And they had to make a decision and clearly they made a decision which effectively saved the country. I think we can all think of militaries worldwide that would've had a rather brutal crackdown given that situation.
SIMON: Yeah.
Dr. SULLIVAN: They didnt do that. And I also heard that some people in the army were killed during this and yet, not a shot was fired. That is amazing.
SIMON: Do you think theres an Egyptian military figure that has some interest in power for the future?
Dr. SULLIVAN: There may be. But there's something else important to understand about the Egyptian military, they don't vote. They are sort of in apolitical organization.
SIMON: Mm-hmm.
Dr. SULLIVAN: And that could be very important for the future of Egypt. And the Egyptian people have spoken loud and clear, that they want freedoms. They want opportunities. They want economic development. They want human development. And they want the corruption to end. And this was an extraordinary moment in the history of Egypt and the history of the world.
SIMON: Yeah.
Dr. SULLIVAN: This is the beginning of a people's movement that could spread.
SIMON: Thanks very much, Paul Sullivan of the National Defense University in our studios.
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