To evaluate Mubarek and the US’s stance toward him for 30 years, one has to consider Jean Kirkpatrick’s differentiation between authoritarian governments and totalitarian government.
Those are the real choices for a great part of the world.
It is the authoritarian dictator, where one has a range of choices versus totalitarain governments like Islamic regimes, where choices are far more restricted.
Limited government, with constitutional guarantees for freedom and libery, are the rare exception in world history, and are the result of unique cultures.
We shall see what the Egyptian people are capable of.
Will they end up like Gaza or Iran, or Afghanistan under the Taliban ?
Neoconservatism belongs on the ash heap.