All "the dogs various groups have" in the Egyptian turmoil are legion.

[Are_grits_groceries]

Many groups have "dogs in the turmoil" that is growing in Egypt. I believe that the dog that has the most moral authority is the one belonging to the Egyptian people. I believe overall that dog does not belong to any one group or person. It represents the freedom that the entire country deserves.

The dog the US has in this fight should be joining that one because it is the right thing to do, and it may represent the best chance at influencing the direction that these protests are going. The will of the people will be suppressed only at a terrible expense. Suleiman is simply a Mubarak clone who will try to maintain the status quo. He has proven that by refusing to back the lifting of the 30 year old emergency law that gives the government broad powers. We have up to this point been with his dog.

Canine metaphors aside, the transition cannot be drawn out. It must begin NOW in order to assure any stability in the country by putting into leadership positions people who have a chance of mollifying the masses
and delivering reform immediately. All of the protesters will never be assuaged, but a lot of them can be if those they trust at all are in charge. They will have to be acceptable to the military because they are a group that will have to be reckoned with also. The leadership of the army is in the hands of Mubarak cronies. They will have to be dealt with in some manner.

I do not believe any of this will be easy. However, the administration's backing of a long transition is badly misguided in my view. Suleiman has immediately proven he cannot be trusted, and the Egyptian people will never be content with him in power. Why anybody believed this would work is beyond my comprehension. President Obama needs to quit with the public passivity that has now been expressed. This is not unlike the passivity shown during the Gulf disaster when BP was inexplicably left in charge and mucked everything up beyond all hope.

These are some of the people we have been involved with in our history:




Ultimately we have paid a price in for that support. It has been paid for with our reputation and in our ability to influence the inevitable course of events that will occur as people revolt. Instead of pushing strongly, subtly, and consistently over time for change, we have aided and abetted many monsters for what is a short term benefit. It has also been paid for in lives, living conditions, and the treatment of those that have been under the thumb of these people.

The revolt in Egypt will not stop. We can either go all in for an immediate change as I believe we should. We will lose all our chips anyway if we continue to play them slowly.

Innaharda, ehna kullina Masryeen!
Today, We Are All Egyptians!