Opponents of Morsi in Egypt seek army support for protests

CAIRO — Just a year ago, Egypt’s liberals and pro-democracy youth movements were demanding the military, which took over from the ousted Hosni Mubarak, leave power. But after a tumultuous year under a freely elected Islamist president, many of them are hoping for the army’s protection as they try to force out Mohammed Morsi with protests this weekend.

Morsi’s opponents calculate they can push him to go through the sheer number of people they bring into the streets Sunday — building on widespread discontent with his running of the country — plus the added weight of the army’s backing.

After that, they believe that the Islamists have misruled so badly that a new election would yield a different result.

Morsi’s backers say the mainly liberal and secular political opposition is fomenting a coup to remove an elected leader because they can’t compete at the ballot box.

Central to whatever happens on Sunday — the anniversary of Morsi’s inauguration — is the stance of the military.

This past Sunday, Egypt’s army chief gave the president and the opposition a week to reach an understanding to prevent bloodshed and warned it would intervene to stop the nation from entering a “dark tunnel.”

Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi also gave a thinly veiled warning to Morsi’s backers that the military will intervene if protesters are attacked during the planned protests, as some hard-liners have threatened.

In the days since, there has been no movement toward a resolution. Morsi has given no signs of conceding anything. He invited all sides to a meeting today, when he plans a national address.

The opposition rejects talks, saying they come “extremely late.” It is boycotting the meeting, saying it is not serious, and will only join a dialogue if el-Sissi convenes it.

“There is just no time left. It is too late, and anything the president tries to do now will in reality be an attempt to discourage people from coming out on Sunday. We have no confidence in the president,” said Khaled Dawoud, the spokesman for the National Salvation Front, the main opposition grouping.