Charge of the Mubarak Brigade

At risk of seeming rather dull, I've decided to dedicate another post to the ongoing protests in Egypt instead of writing about why I hate Skins so much, why Pizza was ordained by God Himself, or why the Benefits System is so deep and unfathomable that it goes beyond crushing depth.

So here's the scoop.

Bring a crutch to a Camel-fight. Beat him whilst he's laughing.

It seems Mubarak has more supporters than we might first have guessed, even if they largely consist of paid criminals, cops and people who don't really understand what's going on. Some of them, like the unlucky guy above, decided to ride camels and horses into the square. I'm pretty sure he got a beating. Which, at risk of sounding like a vindictive sociopath, he probably deserved.

"Anti-government protesters said earlier they had detained 120 people with ID cards linking them with police or the ruling party, most of whom had been caught attacking demonstrators on Tahrir Square."

From BBC News

"We could smell the blood."

Yesterday, there were riots in which 800 people were injured and 5 killed. Despite this, protesters continue to cling on to Tahrir square, erecting barricades to defend against missile attacks. The movement transcends cultural, economic and religious boundaries, as proved by these pictures which are credited as Coptic Christians forming a human wall to protect Muslim protesters who are kneeling in prayer. It seems to be building up for Friday, which some have claimed will be the day Mubarak goes.

Even America has all but abandoned Mubarak, stating that the date for his departure "is yesterday". The problem with America's influence is that it has spent so long supporting, training and supplying crooked regimes that even an endorsement in favour of the protesters could be met with hostility. Protesters are unlikely to want to side with America given its track record in democracy abroad, perceived attitudes to the Muslim world, and the fact that they're providing Egypt with teargas. I always figured that if you were going to manufacture teargas for use in crowd control situations, the last thing you wanted was to print on the canisters is "I MADE THIS, BLAME ME." But if you're going to make teargas, you're probably a bastard anyway.

Anyway, people who want to know what's going on can tune in to BBC News 24, or alternative news channels. I tried scouring Indymedia for information, but I don't really get how that place works. You could have got stuff from Sandmonkey's blog, but that looks like it has been suspended.

The situation in Egypt is unsustainable with the economy collapsing, widespread civil disorder and outright violence on the streets. It is impossible for it to end with any result other than the removal of President Mubarak. For the protesters to go home now is not just defeat, it is reprisals. Whatever promises that the government has made, it's clear that if the struggle ends, they will be punished for what they've done. Everyone in Tahrir Square has to stay the course, it is the only way to guarantee their safety and the future of Egypt. I don't vest much hope in democracy, to be honest, which grants the implication that I'm some form of pro-dictator guy. This couldn't be further from the truth.

But with political stagnation in the West, and even the word "change" losing all of its meaning, you've got to wonder if we really have reached the End of History. How long before we get sick of this sham democracy and start taking to the streets? And what then? Will a regime, even a liberal 'democratic' one, succumb quietly? How long will it be before you're staring blankly at a metal tin that says "Made in the USA"?