Showdown at Tahrir Square

Image via WikipediaTwo weeks have gone by since protesters took to the streets of Cairo, demanding the ouster of longtime Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.  In that time, the level of protests at Tahrir Square and other Egyptian cities have gone from the Summer of Love to the Age of Anger and back.

Mubarak has responded by replacing everyone in his government except himself, instituted scores of new reforms, and he has said he will remain president until new elections are held in the fall.  That is not enough for those who wanted Mubarak to step down ASAP, so the protests continue.

The Summer of Love abruptly ended when Pro-Mubarak supporters rode in on their horses and camels and crashed the party, clashing with the Anti-Mubaraks, Western journalists and anyone else who happened to stand in the way.  The Pro-Mubaraks may have a point in claiming that the worldwide news coverage has been skewed in favor of the Anti-Mubaraks.  But that doesn't excuse them from beating up and detaining journalists in a country where freedom of the press (as we know it) is unknown.  All that was really accomplished were reams of bad publicity for the regime, and for chasing all those high-value network news anchors out of Egypt.

Much to the disappointment of the Anti-Mubaraks, the Obama administration is still working behind the scenes (or dragging its feet, depending on where you stand) on a way to give Mubarak a graceful early exit.  This can be interpreted as the United States needing Egypt more than Egypt needs the U.S. when it comes to Mideast peace and terrorism.  That, and there's millions of dollars in foreign aid at stake to make sure things between the two nations go as smoothly as possible.

Back in this country, conservatives in Congress and on the airwaves seem to be using the crisis to raise fears of a Muslim planet.  Take Glenn Beck.  As ratings for his Fox News program are going downhill, he's becoming frighteningly desperate.  Beck's been telling his audience that soon Muslims will be in control of not only the Middle East, but also parts of Africa, Europe and the United States.  So buy some gold while you still can.  (What was it that the Bible said about false prophets?)

As we wait to see how this crisis will end, we must not forget that this is Egypt's chance to choose its own destiny.  Whether Mubarak steps down before September, or the military and state police crush the rebellion, all we can do is watch.