The military ties between the United States and Egypt are contentious, unusual by global standards and flush with cash. The U.S. not only gives $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt — when added up over decades it’s the highest amount the U.S. gives to any country besides Israel — but there’s also favorable trade agreements that make it easy for Cairo to buy weapons and equipment from American suppliers.

Here’s the latest piece of that — all 550 tons worth. The 200-foot Ambassador MK III-class fast attack craft is one of the latest buys from the Egyptian regime; complete with ship-sinking missiles, a large main gun and advanced countermeasures. The vessel is designed to be fast and hard to detect, while also being capable of destroying larger, more powerful vessels from up to 67 miles away.

While Morsi is being criticized in and out of Egypt for his assumption of dictatorial powers, it’s worth noting that his plans to bypass Egypt’s judicial system are grounded in a reality: Egypt’s judges were handpicked by the thoroughly corrupt Mubarak regime and did the old dictator’s bidding without protest for many years. Neither the judges as a group nor the judiciary as an institution are entitled to any particular respect.

This is an example of a problem that many revolutionary regimes face around the world. Do you allow the judicial lapdogs of the old dictator to act as umpires in the new regime, or do you destroy all the institutions of society and try to rebuild everything from scratch? Do you allow yourself to be bound by corrupt judges defending privileges of the old regime, or do you cast down the legal system and cast off the restraint of the laws?

Neither alternative is a good one and this is one of the reasons why most revolutions end in disappointment and new dictatorship.

Ali Khaled:

The situation of women in particular is symptomatic of a greater malaise. For most Egyptians, little has changed in their everyday lives the last 17 months; for many women, it might be argued, things have actually got worse.

Clearly, Khaled is not advocating a return to Mubarak. But it’s always good not to get caught up in euphoria – especially during a revolution.

In June, he tweeted a cartoon of Minnie Mouse in a burqa, and Islamists worldwide threatened him with death.

Now, as Egypt wavers between an Islamist and a democratic future, billionaire telecom scion and art patron Naguib Sawiris wants to be his country’s next leader – and he’s founded a political party – the Free Egyptian Party — as he prepares to do just that.