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Egypt: Mubarak's Gone, Is Paradise Just Ahead?
My own thoughts...

"It's the greatest day of my life," Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei just told NPR's Robert Siegel. "I couldn't have imagined that I would live long enough to see Egypt emancipated from decades of repression. ElBaradei said that "every Egyptian [now] feels ... a sense of hope" and "every Egyptian is a different Egyptian today." (01)

ElBaradei is a highly visible Egyptian politician. Most people haven't thought of him in those terms prior to this, but he is now one of a few highly visible Egyptian politicans who will likely figure prominantly in elections to be held later this year or possible early 2012. The problem with this is that under the idea that Democracy can only turn out well, ElBaradei could become the first popular leader of Egypt. (02) And the problem with that is that ElBaradei has some rather interesting takes on Egypt's internal, regional, and global dynamics. For instance, ElBaradei states that "Israel has a peace agreement with Mubarak, not Egypt." He also states that the Muslim Brotherhood should be invited to participate in the future of Egypt. That in and of itself is alarming. (03)

A short article on the topic of the Muslim Brotherhood touches on these topics. The MB states that Egypt should close the Suez Canal, cut off gas supplies to Israel, and prepare for war with Israel. Evidently this is the direction ElBaradei sees Egypt heading in the near future. (04) (05)

While it isn't a true test of where a nation is headed, it is still important to note who is happy at what is taking place. One of the first nations whose leadership commented on the resignation of Mubarak, was Iran. Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday claimed the uprising in Egypt heralded a new Middle East without the "satanic" influence of the West and that will doom Israel. " (06) While the president of the United States is working up a personal glory moment for himself, and hasn't addressed the departing Mubarak yet, his comments from last night leave no doubt that he is thrilled. (07) Of course, now that he has helped push Mubarak out, he'll no doubt try to sound reasoned, claiming both to have not involved the U. S. in Egypt's business, but also to take no small amount of credit for having guided this situation to this perfect outcome, at the same time saying that it's now up to the Egyptians (to cover his ass). If it doesn't turn out well, it won't be his fault.

This is not going to turn out well folks. I remain unconvinced that the removal of Mubarak isn't the inception of a black hole in the middle of the Middle-East, that will suck everything down the same rabbit hole.

I'm not the only one to harbor grave misgivings about what may come of Egypt. Early signs are already showing a shift in the public's perceptions on the ground there. Take note of this commentary that appears on our forum. Among other things, it touches on women starting to show up in the public square in burkas. Ah yes ladies, Mubarak is gone, and of course, repression along with him. /s (08)

Sources:

(01) NPR

(02) Yahoo News

(03) Rational Public Radio (admitedly not a first rate link, but it does echo other reports I've read, so I don't believe it swerves off course here)

(04) Jerusalem Post

(05) FinancialSense.com

(06) the Telegraph

(07) AP

(08) various sources, for information related in the linked commentary

El barrraaaadieeee is a dolt.

The same numnutz that couldn't find his ass in Iraq. He has no credibility at all except for the terrorists.

Agree with you on everything, Doughty One.

You and I have been around long enough to see how these “revolutions” turn out.

Not looking good for Egypt.

I hope the Coptic Christians have already fled.