A few quick thoughts on events in Egypt

A few thoughts on what is happening in Egypt since January 25th:

1.- The dilemma the US is facing is trying to balance national security concerns and the moral responsibility to stand with those who have the courage to oppose authoritarian rulers.

2.- Politicians like stability. Bankers like stability. But the stability we have so long embraced in the Arab World, wasn’t really stability, it was repression. The democratic movement is unfolding so quickly that Washington has been on the brink of being left behind. Yes, Obama has been close to ending up on the wrong side of history.

3.- More books are translated each year into Greek, a language spoken by only 10 million people, than into Arabic, spoken by more than 220 million people. Who has benefited from keeping their populations in the dark ages culture-wise?

4.- Arabs may not be calling for democracy as it is known in the West, but they are demanding better rule of law, equitable treatment and far less corruption.

5.- Across the turbulent Arab World it is a paradox that strong armies are now platforms for change.

6.- It is encouraging that the demonstrations are not being used to attack the US and Israel, as seemed to be always the case in previous decades. And it is also encouraging that fundamentalism has not been the seemingly major force behind the revolts, at least up to now. It might just be true that the reasons are the quest for basic human needs and dignity. People want jobs and goods.

7.- The West keeps on regarding the area between Rabat and Jakarta as the belly of the world, and stuffed with explosives.

8.- It is encouraging to see that Israel has finally reacted and the PM has said that a democratic Egypt is not a threat for peace. Up to now the impression was that Israel was happy with its regional monopoly concerning democracy in an ocean of tyrannies. And that they were ready to keep it that way as long as possible.