Revolution + Bonuses

December 28, 2011 7:49 PM

Egyptian army officer's diary of military life in a revolution -- It's ridiculous; at the height of the unrest reserve officer salaries doubled and everyone was getting huge bonuses all the time [...] Most full-time officers didn't really care what was happening politically on the streets, they were just happy with the extra money. Occasionally though you'd hear guilty jokes about how we were the only people who were benefiting from the revolution and the Egyptian people had been screwed over.
posted by philip-random (7 comments total)

Most of the mid-ranking officers are completely uninterested in all the patriotic rhetoric. For them it's just stable employment with decent benefits

This sounds a lot like another military I know.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 8:25 PM on December 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss...
posted by Renoroc at 9:23 PM on December 28, 2011

Life with your hand in the till.
posted by benzenedream at 10:12 PM on December 28, 2011

Court Orders Egypt's Military To Stop 'Virginity Tests'
posted by homunculus at 9:17 AM on December 29, 2011

Egypt’s Forces Raid Offices of U.S. and Other Civil Groups
posted by homunculus at 9:18 AM on December 29, 2011

Isn't this just a reversion to the mean of Mameluke rule Egypt? It is a millenia old tradition there. As soon as the rulers didn't have the militaries favor they(the military) got new rulers. It isn't about liberation or empowerment or democracy. It is about how Egypt has been ruled since Byzantium was kicked out.
posted by bartonlong at 9:40 AM on December 29, 2011

It is about how Egypt has been ruled since Byzantium was kicked out.

Longer, really. After all, the Empire was run exactly the same way after the fall of the Republic.
posted by rodgerd at 3:59 PM on December 29, 2011