What the LIB media won't tell you about Egypt

While the LIB news media blares out that "the voice of the people" in Egypt have sent some kind of message to Hosni Mubarak, there's something they haven't told you.  Cairo has 2 million homeless people. 

If a few hundred Egyptians want to protest against the Mubarak government because of poverty, there's over a million men "on call" to join.  These are not influential people, but when joined in a mass protest against poverty, the news media can give the protest any message they want.  That's what the LIB media won't tell you.  They're too caught up in their sense of self-importance to give a protest of that magnitude any other message.

So what does this mean?

In time, the protest gathering will die down.  Homeless people gotta eat too.  Life will go back to normal and hopefully the 82 year old Mubarak will get serious about finding a successor who will enjoy support of the military (i.e. someone other than his son).

We're being told that the Muslim Brotherhood is destined to take over Egypt; they're the "largest opposition group" etc.  I don't think that's true.  Most Egyptians are nationalists and while they may support Sharia law, they are still nationalists.  The Ikhwan (Muslim Brotherhood) is a pan-Islamist organization that is imperialist in nature.  When Egypt tried its hand at hegemony under Nasser, they got burned so bad that Egyptians learned (eventually) to take care of Egypt first.  As such, while the Ikhwan might have a 20% popularity in Egypt, there are likely significant numbers of Egyptians who do not share their pan-Islamic view.  This certainly includes the numerous Coptic Christians but extends well into Egypt's Muslim society as well.  

A Unique View of the Egypt "Crisis" from Israel

Having been in Israel the past week, we've all been following the Egyptian protests in the news.  While I can easily watch CNN, FOX, Sky News etc, it's far more interesting to watch the Israeli news and commentary. 

Israel is one of those countries where people rarely agree on anything.  Yet there are two things Israelis agree on this week:

 1.  They don't know where these protests are going to lead.

 2.  Whatever Israelis offer in the way of advice to Egyptians will be resented and ignored.

The mood about is one of curiosity.  Nobody seems to be too worried.  Israeli tourists, businessmen and families of diplomats bailed out of Egypt the same night we arrived here (Jan 30, 2011).  There's nobody left to worry about. 

So don't listen to those talking heads on the so-called "News Networks".  They're all rather self absorbed and don't know what they're talking about.  All they know is that it's easier to milk an old story than to find a new one.

Regards,

TINSC