Following on from the Tunisian inspired protests, the Egyptian people are courageously taking a stand against the western backed autocratic regime of President Hosni Mubarak.
At the time of writing, the President has sacked the government and is installing a "new government".....whatever that actually means?
But herein lies the dilemma for the President, does he take the usually accepted method (by the west in any case with a nudge and a wink) of bringing in the security forces and brutally crushing the rebellion and showing everyone who's boss?
Or does he take option B, which involves accommodating the wishes of the people and bringing in some democratic reforms?
In this day and age with satellite tv, internet, social media etc, it's alot harder to crush a revolt without having to deal with the blow back of all the uncomfortable pictures flashing around the world of your brutal regime in action. You're probably not likely to win any Nobel Peace Prizes after that?
Or as we've seen with option B already, once you provide oxygen to the protesters demands, they become empowered and ask for more freedoms (ie, real democracy)...the cheek of them?
Mubarak really seems to have painted himself into a corner now by trying to "appease" the protesters. While it's difficult to see someone who's been in (autocratic) power for so long voluntarily stepping away into a quiet retirement, it's increasingly looking like he may have no other choice? Unless he decides to unleash a wave of brutality? Stay tuned.......
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