Whatever the weaknesses of Egypt's legitimately elected Morsi government; they would be minuscule compared to the damage inflicted by the draconian military rule of over 60 years by corrupt military generals, who destroyed the country economically, culturally and spiritually. While Egypt’s once powerful military, under Nasser, became victim to greed of its corrupt generals, their business empires expanded, and their Officers Mess were comparable to any five star hotels, but Egyptian territory shrunk and the nation humiliated by successive military defeats at the hands of a more disciplined army of a democratically run smaller country Israel. It is no coincidence that two countries in the region, politically and strategically poles apart, having one thing in common, democratically elected governments, namely Israel and Iran, have strong professional armies, abundance of developed human resources, capable to defend their legitimate constitutional objectives. There are established civilized political norms to resolve differences in democracies all over the world and military intervention is never a cure, but a calamity in itself. An Army is not raised to occupy their own country! Egypt ruled by corrupt military dictators lacked democratic culture, an independent judiciary, and tolerance necessary for democracy to survive. Morsi won elections, but failed to understand that although he had support of roughly 52 percent of the population, the rest 48 percent were averse to his perception of an Islamic system based on Muslim Brotherhood’s manifesto and objectives. What purpose did he serve by seeking to impose his version of Islam on a country with a majority Muslim population, living in peace with members of other faiths and beliefs, sharing a common culture and language. He should have strengthened democratic institutions, and ventured to get a consensus constitution. Morsi should have understood that powerful military, with its vast corporate interests, would conspire against him, and exploit the situation, which they did. This military coup, if anything has further harmed Egypt, and if a representative political setup, with an independent judiciary is not put in place, fundamentalist extremists would gain a foothold within the angry rural population, who need to be politically assimilated in the affairs of state and become beneficiaries of state welfare, education and health, instead of political isolation. The question is, “Can the greed of the generals be contained?”MALIK TARIQ ALI, Lahore, July 5.