Ferment in Egypt

2011-02-01

The events in Egypt are, for me, the most exciting and hopeful in the hopelessly bereft and betrayed world scene since -- what -- the fall of Hitler? the end of the Vietnam war? -- the October revolution of 1917? the French revolution of 1789? You pick it. Of course, one can't easily create historical analogies. But the "classical" nature of how this ferment from below suddenly sprang forth amazes the jealous onlooker not on the scene watching it develop and attempt to succeed with its high moral principles (still) intact.

I am also ironically amused at the discomfort and embarrassment of the US in the face of this real defeat, a major foreign policy defeat -- if Mubarak is overthrown -- which the US may be powerless to stop -- The Israeli right-wing government is also totally rocked -- just when they thought they had everything just where they wanted it and not have to make peace with the Palestinians or stop building more settlements -- then their right-wing Mubarak supporter collapses. (But what can they do? -- unless they send in their military to support Mubarak -- also a very crazy scenario.)

So I am so far very hopeful.