Egypt's military to maintain control?

The ruling military council in Egypt wants a weak Parliament and a president who won't challenge its authority, a U.S. analyst said. A revolution early this year unseated Hosni Mubarak after nearly 30 years in power. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces took control over the country after Mubarak's regime collapsed, promising in early 2011 to have elections within six months Egyptian political groups are jockeying for influence in the post-Mubarak climate. Elections were delayed, however, to November for some parliamentary houses and possibly late 2012 for president. Robert Springborg, former director at the American Research Center in Egypt, told Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm that the military likely didn't want to see its authority diminished by a popular vote. "What it wants is a weak Parliament and a presidency that will not challenge its authority," he said. Some political groups in Egypt said they were planning to boycott November elections. Observers note, however, that those groups likely don't have the foundation needed to mount an effective campaign against established political groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. "As it now looks the Parliament will be weak because it will be divided among various political forces and because it will not be based on any definitive constitutional authority," said Springborg.