The Revolt In Egypt - When a million marched for democracy.

Egypt is one of the oldest countries in the world. It has had roughly the same borders and capital city since 3000 BC and has always been seen as an embodiment of stability, a state ruled by the Pharaohs and a bureaucracy that never budged. Right now, Egypt is in the midst of enormous change. This may not be a revolution in the sense of a massive social transformation, but it is a revolt.

The first Arab revolt was in 1916 ,against the Ottoman Empire that ruled most of the Arab lands. What is going on now in Tunisia and now in Egypt is the SECOND ARAB REVOLT against the strongmen who have ruled these lands for decades. Tunisia was the spark which lit the fire . Television, internet and the social media has amplified and accelerated the forces of change, but in a strange sense ,these forces might have been set in motion by the successes of the Tunisian and Egyptian regimes in the recent years.

Tunisia and Egypt had been reforming their economies. This had stimulated growth as a consequence. Tunisia had been growing at 5% per year, Egypt even much faster than that.Economic growth stirs up expectations.It is this revolution of rising expectations that often undoes a dictatorship, because it is usually unable to handle the growing demands of its aspiring populace.

In Egypt, Hosni Mubarak's regime had moved forward economically but actually moved backwards politically, rigging elections,jailing the political opposition and signalling that the ailing 82 year old dictator intended to stay in power for eternity.

What should the USA do. Many journalists and intellectuals are urging much stronger support for the movement on the streets.Obviously we are all thrilled by the sights and the sounds of the people out on the streets of CAIRO and ALEXANDRIA and all over EGYPT demanding freedom. Everyone wants democracy and democracy in EGYPT could an EARTHQUAKE in the ARAB world.

But president Obama does have to balance his support for democracy with the reality that Egypt has been a partner with america for over 30 years. USA cannot unceremoniously dump an ally which has made peace with ISRAEL,fought AL-Qaeda,privately had talks with Hamas and brokered deals with the Palestinians. President Obama can firmly and strongly , but privately, tell Mobarak that he should resign. Perhaps not immediately but soon. Obama does need to get him to go.

America has been urging the Egyptian regime ,much like Pakistan, to reform for years,even decades. Hosni Mobarak never took these calls seriously. Had he done so, had he come in front of his people, he could have avoided this revolt.

But that is the story of dictators...it is often too little, too late.