Whither Egypt?

A drifting spark from Tunisia has ignited a conflagration in Egypt. The question is, “What will emerge from the ashes?”

I’m no expert on Egypt’s domestic politics. Nor do I play one on television. But I am close to a couple of folks who are; and who divide their time between Cairo and here.

What I do know is that the energy feeding the crowds in the streets is coming from a diversity of sources. Yes, many are modern secular Egyptians seeking democracy, progress and greater freedom. Others are marxists or far-leftists of the stripe that inhabit faculty lounges of public universities all over America. The latter are, by definition, anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, and anti-American. But the most organized, disciplined and angry bunch in Egypt is the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Muslim Brotherhood is the original radical Islamic group. Hamas and Al Qaeda are branches that sprang from that root (read The Looming Tower).

If the Mubarak regime falls, it is this group that is my bet to take control of the country. I can assure you, what they put in place will not be a beacon of liberty, progress and tolerance.

As I mentioned in my Twitter feed yesterday, “I’m no fan of the Mubarak regime but this feels an awful lot like Iran ’79. The Muslim Brotherhood in charge will be much, much worse.” And, “Just one more way the Obama presidency is giving me Carter-70s flashbacks. Add gas rationing and Welcome Back Kotter and we’re there.”

In 1979, the naive and, in some ways, anti-American Carter administration did nothing to save the Shah of Iran’s regime and actually encouraged the revolutionaries through back channels. Now a naive and, in some ways, anti-American Obama administration is doing the same thing. It will produce, I suspect, similar results.

For a more detailed and informed view on these matters, check out Caroline Glick’s post.