Somehow I can't get caught up in Egypt's wild celebrations. True the people brought down Mubarak. Did they achieve a true democracy in Egypt? I think not. The celebrating reminds me of a wild New Years Eve party. The hangovers are bound to follow. If there is a leader committed to bringing major reform in Egypt he has not been identified. The only leaders mentioned are the military. Is there some strong civilian leader lurking in the background (a man of the cloth does not qualify as a civilian in the Mideast, at least as far as I'm concerned)? At this point, all that can be safely said is that the Egyptian uprising brought down Mubarak. It's a starting point for reform but it is a fragile one. The Egyptian people do not have the option of back to life as usual. They have much work to do to determine their future. Lets hope it is the true democracy and freedom they so emphatically rallied for. Let's hope any attempt by Muslim radicals to take control is thwarted. Let's hope that in the face of a changing Middle East, the United States comes up with a strategy which will insure our safety and at the same be supportive of true reform in the Middle East. At the moment there are more questions than answers which means that high alert trumps celebration. One more question. Has the United States learned that we cannot boast about our freedom and democracy and at the same time prop up despots who we choose to call an ally?
( Today being Abraham Lincoln's birthday makes be wonder if there is an "Abe Lincoln" somewhere in Egypt who will heal the nation)
No comments:
Post a Comment