Friday 11 February 2011

Egypt reconstructs

It starts here and now.  It must.  With an interim government and free elections.  I was told eight years ago that the "Arab street" would never stand for the overthrow of its own tyrants, and that Iraq should be left alone because the Arabs had different values and "the West" should not impose theirs on them. But as the people of Egypt drive Mubarak out of power, and the people of Gaza dance for joy (it is Egypt that blockades Gaza, as we are very rarely reminded), here is the Arab street telling the rest of the world in no uncertain terms what it believes in and what it wants.  This has been a revolution we could watch in new ways, compared with even the recent past - we could watch Tahrir Square live at home, without waiting for the BBC news bulletins, and this afternoon I have had Al-Jazeera live on my iPad while I am working.

Egypt will reconstruct.  There will be disappointments and disillusion, but there will be progress, and there will be a move to democracy.  Of that I am as certain as I can be.  Good.  Now, where next? 

7 comments:

Mr. Mcgranor said...

Jane your secular degenerate world is coming down on itself. The nihilism and post-counterculture socialist kill of the British spirit is left without a Magna Carta. Pray to your Marx or Bakunin that some commie creed will save your souls--as you beg the Mohammedan and/or autonomous arab/oriental: for mercy from the sword.

Sauti Ndogo said...

Libya, Sudan and Syria would be good.

But top of the list is Iran, whose tyrants have poisoned the whole region.

janestheone said...

Wesley I have no idea what you are on about

Anonymous said...

There are unconfirmed reports that when Suleiman told Hosni he should go.

He answered 'is it coz i is Mubarak.'

Anonymous said...

Nice one Anon, and take more water with it Wesley.
L9

dreamingspire said...

Wesley could have sensed the same thing that Cameron et al did and thus they invented the Big Society theme. But the Information Society, which is enabling the peaceful revolutions in Arab countries, should keep Armageddon at bay for a good while.
The big question in the longer term is how we will cope with the exhaustion of natural mineral resources. Maybe less manufactured material goods, more virtual goods as connectivity continues to develop.
When I see the advert for the charity that is working to stop child deaths in the 3rd world, I ask: What are they doing to encourage a reduced birth rate?

janestheone said...

well, educating girls will do that, hence my opposition to the Taleban, Muslim Brotherhood, the whole passel on 'em