I was in Toronto today for a doctor's appointment. On my way to lunch, I passed a large group of people protesting at city hall, they were protesting in solidarity with their counterparts in Egypt. They were protesting the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who has held power for 30 years. His authoritarian rule has angered many Egyptians, and they want him out (see Egyptian Emergency Measures Act after the Arab-Isreali conflict, low wages, police state, unemployment,etc, etc). These protests are coming hot-on-the-heels of similar protests last week in Tunisia, which resulted in their president fleeing the country.
Arab nations across Northern Africa are challenging their leadership with protests, which is creating a boiling pot scenario.
Egypt has a strategically placed geography which is very important for international trade (see Suez Canal), an immense population (see 82 million), and cool buildings. It has yet to be seen whether the current regime of Hosni Mubarak will crumble, and if so, what regime will take his place? Will it be a progressive secular muslim society? will it be a dictatorship? will it adopt principles similar to Iran? Will Egypt regain its previous calmness? How will the US respond to a new regime after 30 years of consistency? I don't know how this is going to turn out.
Here's a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Czslbh_Bnw (lol watch the guy slip at 0:06)
Here's a good article:
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