Special Weekend Ed.: Egypt

We heard many people speak out against the US Government, for President Obama, not standing sooner to call for Mubarak's stepping down.

 US President Obama

However if you look through history:

 Ferdinand Marcos

Reagan took three years to call for Philippine Dictator Ferdinand Marcos stepping down, after he had an opposition leader gunned down;

 Suharto

Clinton only issued calls for reform, regarding Indonesia's Suharto in 1997, finally acquiescing eighteen months after protests began, when the IMF was actually the one to force Suharto out of office. Obama took one week from supporting Mubarak to calling for a transition to democracy.

Hosni Mubarak has fled to his luxurious mansion at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh

Pretty quick historically speaking, don't you think? Slow by today's instant media and communication speeds, but one has to consider other elements. What if Mubarak never did leave, then how would the US deal with Egypt? If the US pushed him out, how would other leaders the US deals with feel about that, how would they react now, how would they react, should the same kind of thing happen in their country? Would the US want to seem "fickle" to the leaders of the world?

There are typically many more things to consider when  you are the leader of a country, far unlike being a simple citizen. Had Obama only been a citizen like the rest of us, perhaps, he would have called for a step down of the leader far sooner, but as President of the United State of America, a leading country in so many ways, he didn't have that luxury.

Moving on....

Egyptian Defense Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

Today's current issue is with the Egyptian Army. Where, are they? They need to stand up and say something. They need to give some direction of how they are going to move themselves out of power, and hand the country over to the people, otherwise, the people are about to start action against the Military, as they did against Mubarak.

Guys, SAY SOMETHING!

THIS JUST IN LATE: The military council has just said that they have suspended the constitution and they will be conducting things for the next six months or until there are elections. What we need here is a free, fair, transparent election. Take your time, reach out to the world, and you will have to work hard to have a good election even by September.

Consider that you have two different clocks going on in Egypt, what you need, and what you want. Do not be impatient, be vigilant; find a happy balance. You will want to hold people accountable, but be careful, you have some of those people in charge of your country now. Do not create undue friction, there will be time for accountability as things stabilize. Get control of your government first. Then you will be able to bring those responsible to account for their incorrect actions, in safety and order for the Egyptian people.

Egyptians, consider that very few revolutions end as happy as they begin. The hard work as I've said before last Friday, begins now. What, are you going to do? And when are you going to start doing it? Be prepared to block the Army from taking power, from delaying tactics, from losing their way through well intentioned putting off action due to ignorance of what to do.

The world stands waiting to help you.