After a crackdown on Wednesday, led in part by plain-clothed police officers, a much smaller group of protesters has managed to hold onto Tahrir square in Cairo (see the NY Times for a map). This coming Friday will be key as Egyptians leaving prayer services were what gave the movement critical mass even after the internet was temporarily shut down. Getting coverage has gotten harder, the regime has been cracking down on reporters and rights activists, going after Al Jazeera with a particular fervor. I am impressed by the work reporters are doing and am in awe of the protestors who seem quite aware of the risks they face.
As I understand it, the U.S. administration is now talking to the Muslim Brotherhood, which has played a deliberately secondary supporting role in this uprising. Here's interviews with Helena Cobban and Matt Duss gives some history and advise on future engagement with political Islam. It is true that the organization does have a common origin with Hamas, but it has explicitly chosen a non-violent path for some time, particularly compared with other organizations like Sinn Fein that have successfully participated in democratic governments. I think that's a good step and we need to be prepared to cut off military aid due to the violence used against peaceful protesters.
While no topical expert, I've long followed revolutions seeking greater democracy, but I think the biggest lesson I learned from these protests is about the use of counter-revolutionary non-uniformed forces. It was widely observed that similar tactics were used against protesters in Iran, but Daniel Davies gives a bit more theory on the use of such groups in the 20th century.
At this point, my thought and prayers are with the protesters and I hope they can face the hard choices they've got coming up with a sense of solidarity but also pragmatism. Ultimately this is about the people of Egypt, who will have to decide what they think about what they've seen. I hope they choose wisely and honor the sacrifices that have been made, and I call on our administration to keep stepping up pressure by whatever means are found to be most effective.
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