In the past few days the world watched as Egyptians experienced a time and a place in which freedom was within their grasp. Egyptians have a long and proud history, the land of the Pharaohs, the pyramids; a land that is both mysterious and magical, occupied by an angry population eager for a chance at opportunity for upward social mobility. When poverty constantly hammers hard upon the self image of the masses, ruled by a regime in power for over thirty years, it is exhilarating to see the citizenry take action to regain control over their destiny.
It is axiomatic that those who started the protests were not sufficiently funded and organized to make the kind of informed choices that are required to overthrow a regime. When the people have no viable options to escape poverty and restraints on freedom, life becomes almost unbearable, leading to anger and desperation. But, without a plan other than protesting in the streets, what you have is a protest, not a revolution. As violence spreads and the country eventually fails, the result is a vacuum of power, and the most organized group left standing will seize power. According to many sources, that leaves Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood waiting in the wings.
This morning the worldwide news was that President Mubarak would resign tonight. President Obama himself came on national television and announced ”We are actually witnessing a moment of change, a transformation is taking place.” He went on to say that the transformation was taking place because the people are calling for change. "But it’s the young people, you people, who want your voices heard," he added.
Less than two hours after the President spoke, Egyptian President Mubarak announced he won’t leave, but he will give more power to his vice president. Then President Mubarak explained a key reason for his refusal to step down, saying several times that he would never accept, "Something dictated to me from some foreign source," which is widely construed by the media as a direct message to President Obama.
This revolution is beginning to look more and more like a terrible tragedy, an explosion in the making, and the Obama administration appears to be out of the loop of intelligence and helpless to do anything about it. Unless something happens to change the situation on the ground, the outcome for the moment looks absolutely horrendous.
Article comments
1 - Heloise
yes that's what the expert's experts are predicting that there will be bloody friday, February 11, 2011. So that's what
2-11-2011 by the numbers.
Interesting repeat of numbers there. One is violence and two is peaceful. We might infer that the peaceful meet the violent or that the peaceful protestors meet a violent end. One of the two are predicted.
But it might just be TGIF in Cairo. We shall see. But Obama better be cool until something really happens since he and Biden blew it... Hear that Valerie J? Tell your boss for me that he blew it comparing what's happening in Cairo with his election. It is not always about you Obama. That's why the conservatives are ragging you so much. You turn the global stage into the Obama political circus. You gotta stop doing that.
2 - roger nowosielski
I hope you're wrong, it would have been such a waste. I believe the people has been energized enough, especially by the lame speech, to carry on. The way I look at it, it's too big to fail (and no, I'm not using it in Obama's lame sense of referring to AIG, Goldman Sacks and all such).
3 - Heloise
Those are not really my predictions. I don't have any horses in this race, except when I was the Egyptian in another life. Once we leave thoese countries they usually fall to pieces. Egypt is on course to self destruct IMO. Friday may be the day or it may not be.
But the poverty has been brewing for a long time...a long time. They are not black people BTW and do not identify with black people here but they are Muslims.
4 - roger nowosielski
Look at it that way, though. They are black insofar as the Anglos are concerned. For that reason alone you ought to empathize.