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Violence Overshadows 2-Year Anniversary Of Arab Spring

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Egyptian protesters use camera phones on Monday to capture a burning state security armored vehicle that demonstrators commandeered during clashes with security forces nearby and brought to Tahrir Square and set it alight, in Cairo, Egypt. (Mostafa El Shemy/AP)
Egyptian protesters use camera phones on Monday to capture a burning state security armored vehicle that demonstrators commandeered during clashes with security forces nearby and brought to Tahrir Square and set it alight, in Cairo, Egypt. (Mostafa El Shemy/AP)

Egypt's army chief warned Tuesday of the "the collapse of the state" if the political crisis roiling the nation for nearly a week continues.

The warning by Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who is also defense minister, were the first comments by the powerful military since the country's latest crisis began last week around the second anniversary of Egypt's uprising.

They came days after President Mohammed Morsi ordered the army to restore order in the Suez Canal cities of Port Said and Suez - two of three cities now under a 30-day state of emergency and night curfew.

David Kirkpatrick, Cairo bureau chief for The New York Times, told Here & Now that frustrations remain in Egypt two years after the Arab Spring.

"Basically the structure of government has not really changed. And so in the minds of many people on the ground, it makes sense that the revolution should go on by increasingly violent means," Kirkpatrick said.

Guest:

This segment aired on January 29, 2013.

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