Forty minutes after the start of the official curfew — 4 pm — tens of thousands of Egyptians are gathering in Cairo’s  Liberation Square, while the army — which, according to this eyewitness account, has a rather sparse presence — is simply standing by. One tank commander said the tanks in the streets are not equipped with shells: only small arms. The tanks are spray-painted with anti-Mubarak slogans, while the conscripts mingle freely with the protesters, who embrace them.  A sea of people chanting, holding banners aloft, has taken possession of the square, with more streaming in constantly. Fear is banished: the government’s pronouncements are irrelevent. The dreaded “anarchy” has taken hold — and the world is a better place.
There are reports that protesters have overrun police stations all around the country, with the security forces — Mubarak’s dreaded secret police — have “melted away,” in the words of an Al Jazeera reporter. There are also reports of four dead protesters who were killed while trying to storm the Interior Ministry: the body of one was carried aloft by the crowd as a roar of defiance went up.
Stay tuned …
You're right. There are several respects in which the Egyptian revolution may repeat the Iranian revolution.
One of those ways, as you point out, is that it may provide an opening for Islamist extremists to seize power. Egypt being ruled by the Muslim Brotherhood would indeed be a bad thing.
The other parallel, of course, is the one that you don't want to hear about.
One of the main reasons the Iranian revolution turned virulently anti-American was the role that the US played in installing the Shah in power, maintaining him in power, and attempting to keep him from being overthrown.
Hosni Mubarak's ability to maintain political power for 30 years has been very much a function of US financial and military aid. There's every chance that when his government falls, whomever takes over — Islamist or not — is going to give the US a big, giant, well-deserved "go fuck yourself — the reason we HAD to have the revolution is because you kept this asshole in power well beyond his sell-by date."
If the US had minded its own business instead of gaming Egypt's politics at its people's expense, perhaps Egypt's government would have changed slowly, in moderation, and with friendly aspirations toward the US instead of quickly, radically and likely with anti-US overtones.
But the next time you suggest that the US mind its own business will be the first time.
If you had been reading the european press for the past 30+ years, you'd have also noticed that virtually all Arab leaders (presidents and kings) are on the CIA payroll except Libya and Syria.
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali who was toppled last week in Tunisia served the CIA even before toppling Bourghuiba in 1987!!
Yes, I must agree on that, the US nrver bothered about what the people thought ("democracy"), they only bothered about what is useful on those crap dactators. And that show how sick US politics was and it will be the reason that the US will have no friends.
W9
Mubarak has ruled Egypt with an iron fist since the assassination of another US-installed leader, Anwar Sadat, in 1981. All violent and peaceful opposition to Mubarak’s regime has been crushed. But now Mubarak’s time is running out. Nobel-Prize Laureate Mohammed al-Baradei has agreed to lead a resistance coalition that includes the Muslim Brotherhood, the best-organized movement in Egypt.
The Brotherhood is not an Iranian-style extreme Islamic movement, contrary to alarms being spread by neocons and the often poorly-informed US media.
In fact, the Muslim Brotherhood has long eschewed politics to concentrate on social, religious and educational issues. If anything, it has been ultra-conservative, even stodgy and timid. But it also represents the Washington’s best potential ally if Egypt’s military regime falls. We should not be misled by self-serving warnings about Islamic bogeymen.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/margolis/margolis225.h…
The US always manges to turn people overseas against it because of its actions.whomever takes over the US should accepet and respect the people choice.People did not set out to be enemies of the US.And many became enemies after the US forced to them to become enemies.The US policy the region is not based on teh interests of the US and its people ,but it only constrates on what Israel wants.
We need to learn to mind our own business.
And Earwig Donderoo, don't forget that your bastard government has stollen tens of billions of dollars over the years from Ameroconned taxpayers, to prop up this jackbooted, bastard, thug tyrant!
Governments around the world take notice when the people rise from their torpor…apathy suddenly and unite decisively with one message. It is quite educational.
Q: Where are Justin's TeaBaggers on this issue?
A: They are supporting the US Empire and the dictator Mubarak while opposing democracy. Libertarians/ TeaBaggers / Republicans HATE democracy.
I feel bad for the Egyptian people.
What has Amerika done for them? It's more like, what has Amerika done to them?
Given tens of billions of dollars to their corrupt, torturing, murdering dictator and made fun of them with pop trash like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVrNV_5LhNE
All I can say is that the Egyptians are overthrowing a dictator. I doubt most Amerikans would have the balls to "walk like an Egyptian."
I contend that america was washed up in the middle east I didnt envisaged tha it would be so dramatic it also means the end of israel when that happens.
Egypt is showing us: This is what the "Tea Party" should have been. This is what you need to do if you want to "throw the bums out". This is how to take back your country. Regimes around the world take notice, we are watching you. We, the people, have had enough of you. Powerful stuff. Historic and makes me proud to be alive to see it.
"Tea Party" is about "throwing the bums out" the other party and putting their own bums in.We are all Egyptins .
For democracy to function democracy needs to empower democracy.., the principals in democracy prohibits empowering dictatorial, tyrants and or apartheid regimes..; therefore,
"As an American citizen, I am deeply ashamed of my government's lukewarm response to the protests in Egypt. President Obama and Vice-President Biden have an opportunity to influence the outcome in favor of a more democratic Egypt. Thus far, they have squandered that chance. I urge all my fellow Americans to contact their senators, representatives, and the White House. It is time to call on Washington to stop supporting tyrants and dictators. It is time for out vaunted American gospel of democracy to be more than empty words and hollow gestures. It is time for a free world, and a Free Egypt!"
Send.., email above message to all senators you know of..
Egypt's problems will not be solved by just installing a democratic government. World food pricing will not change unless a global restructuring of all the out of whack debt, surpluses and trade balances has been on the table.
But at that stage people will be on the streets as well, not leaving, not only in Athens or Lisbon but in Paris, London, New York….
No wonder then this "lukewarm" response by those in charge of the bill.
America's support of brutal dictators in countries generally leads to the people of those nations turning against America when their America-supported dictators are overthrown – and why are we surprised at that?
A benevolent dictator is perhaps still the best form of gorvernment? – but, of course, how could a 'dictator' be 'benevolent' and remain in power?
America's hypocrisy is that we publicly promote the idea of 'democracy' for other nations – BUT – only if those elected remain our puppets.
There is a 'saying' that – "each people deserve the leaders that they have".
I suppose a dumbed down people of cowardly sheep deserve the idiots and morons, crooks and thieves, TRAITORS, and perverts we have in our Congress.
I suspect that however which way Egypt ends up with a new 'leader' – it may NOT be good for the people of Egypt nor for the Middle East?
"I suspect that however which way Egypt ends up with a new 'leader' – it may NOT be good for the people of Egypt nor for the Middle East? "
I have been hearing this exact argument used for over the last thirty yers as if Mubarak had been good for the Egyptian people.Why do think that democracy or popular revolt against opperssion is acceptable for any other people but not for the people of Egypet?And why is this like attitude of putting the cart in fornt of the horse?Because we ,in the west,do not know the outcome or might dislike the choice of the people therefore we give ourselves the right to tell them what to do.It is theold familiar paternalistic attitude (white -man-burden) pure and simple.
Sorry that a lot of your responses don't seem to make sense, since my post, which came first up top, has been deleted by the wonderful editors of your lovely AntiWar.com
Mubarek and the Egyptian government is censoring Al Jazeera. AntiWar.com is censoring pro-defense libertarians. Go figure.
Sorry Tom that I cannot respond with a well-reasoned argument to your post above. But my comments are being deleted by the editors of AntiWar.com. I don't expect this comment to stay up much longer. Hopefully, enough time that you will have a chance to read it.
Signing out…
یا ایها المصریون – اتØدو بالنصر الله Ùˆ انهضو بالمظاهره Ùˆ ممانعه عم الورود وزراء الدول المصر بالدوائر الدولتی – انا Ù…Øمد من الایران – من الله التوÙیق Ùˆ علیه التکلان
یا ایها المصریون – اتØدو بالنصر الله Ùˆ انهضو بالمظاهره Ùˆ ممانعه عن الورود وزراء الدول المصر بالدوائر الدولتی – انا Ù…Øمد من الایران – من الله التوÙیق Ùˆ علیه التکلان
e been hearing this exact argument used for over the last thirty yers as if Mubarak had been good for the Egyptian people.Why do think that democracy or popular revolt against opperssion is acceptable for any other people but not for the people of Egypet?And why is this like attitude of puttin rg
The people of Egypt are being made fools by the Egyptian military. Mubarak was only a figure head but the real power rests with the Zionists and their coreligionists in Washington, who rule America, from there, like absolute monarchs. That is to say, the Zionists use the hard-earned tax dollars of the gentile American population, to pay off the generals in Egypt and to support Israel with billions of dollars every year. The Egyptian generals are thus beholden to the Zionists. Hence their commitment to Israel at the expense of the suffering Palestinians, who are in a constant state of siege by Israel on one side and the generals, in Egypt, on the other.
Cass
If the generals in Egypt really mean to transfer power to the Egyptian people let them lift the state of emergency, which are a set of draconian laws, used to imprison the population. Thus Egypt is nothing but a large concentration camp. So far the generals have not lifted the state of emergency, but instead find excuses to maintain it. It is sad to see how the Egyptian people have been played for fools by the generals, by the exit of Mubarak from the scene, and to believe that they are truly free.