When the West Bank explodes, and it's just a matter of time, what will Israel do? Will it use force as is its wont? And what will the USA do? Will it stand by its "friend", or will it condemn the use of force?
     A bit of advice for Netanyahu and his American allies and lobbyists...get out while you can, withdraw or you will be forced out and it will not stop there. There is little good-will left (note the recent UN vote, where only the US BACKED YOU). Europe, especially France will be more concerned with its 5 million or so Arab/ North African residents/citizens. The same with Germany and Italy. They do not want to be caught up in conflagration. As for the US, it will be exposed for its hypocrisy and double standard and will lose what little credibility it still has. 

     The US is wasting a glorious opportunity to send a clear message to the Arab/Muslim world that it does indeed support democeratic values, human rights and that it does so unequivocablly, whether it's Arab or Israelis, or Christians or Muslims or Jews; Egyptians or Palestinians or Iranians, Libyans or Tunisians,whoever.
     That is not what its recent veto of the resolution calling on Israel to halt settlements expansion,do. The US cannot on the one hand say the settlements are "illegal and unhelpful' to the peace process and then turn around and veto this resolution on the grounds that it will "shatter"the peace talks. The US cannot on the one hand support and encourage, very clearly, the protests in Iran and Libya and then send dilly-dally when it comes to its "friends" in Egypt, Algeria and Jordan and Bahrain(home of the 5th Fleet). This is sheer hypocrisy and double-standard. You either are for democratic values or not. You are either for the respest of international law or not. Even the US cannot any longer have it both ways. 
     Rights are righte , are rights, are rights; Laws are laws, are laws, are laws.
     Israel is treated differently and deferentially. Why? Is it quilt? Is it AIPAC and the Jewish lobby? Are they superior to the Arabs/ Muslims in the eyes of the American Administration and of Americans? This "special treatment" is not good for the US or for Israel. In the case of the US, it loses its credibility and respect and therefore weakens it. In the case os of Israel, it empowers the Settlers and their religious supporters , but weakens Israel, which has become a garrison state, spending too much on security and too little on society. 
     Israel unquestionably has the right to security and peace, but its policies vis-a vis the Palestinians and its bankrolling of the rich life-style of the Settlers, are detrimental to its security and to peaceful co-existence with its neighbors.
     The Arab autocrats have long use the Palestinians to beat up on the Israelis. It served their purposes while denying the Palestinians the rights and dignity they need and deserve. Now they, the autocrats, are on the run and their policies and their tacit support of the continued displacement of the Palestinians are unravelling. This is little comfort for the Americans( who have been complicit in this policy) and the Israelis (who have benefitted from, and exploited it...stalling for time, while building settlements, grabbing more and more land, and placing all manner of impediments, because Uncle Sam is paying).    
  

     The Egyptians must be allowed to make their decisions, free from interference from the USA. Their friendship of convenience, over the past 30 years, has resulted in repression, poverty and rendition, to the detriment of Egyptians. This is the story of the past 50 years, with the Cold War/ and the threat of Communism as the first excuse and Islamic extremism and terrorism as the most recent. In the name of stability and security, rights were extinguished, freedoms curtailed and autocracy and repression became the order of the day, (even in the USA, with the Patriot Act, being used against "enemies within", who were mostly "non-whites", even though most acts of violence/terrorism in the USA were carried out by "whites'.
     The double standard/ hypocrisy of the USA can be seen in the quick and clear support for the protesters in Iran, whereas in Egypt and Tunisia and in Bahrain, Jordan, Algeria and Yemen ( all friends of convenience), the message was muted and heavily nuanced.....yes we support your rights, but don't rock the boat too much and do what "our" friends in the military tell you..... Democracy is the rule of law, of equality of rights, of free, fair and regular election, of civilian rule, of respect for minority rights, but only we, Americans i.e whites, really understand and appreciate it, whereas, you in the Arab/Muslim world, who have no " democratic values" must be careful or else it will be chaos and ruin. This insult continues to be the anthem, of the "friends" in the West. And let us not forget "our Israeli friends", who are quite concerned now that their "buddies", Mubarak and ben Ali are out and Abdullah and others are under pressure, to reform.
     The youths of Egypt and Tunisia, along with their counterpart in Jordan, Algeria, Yemen, Iran and eleswhere in the Middle East are not their grand- parents or even their parents. They are more educated, more aware of the outside world ( tens of thousands have studied abroad and many more hundreds of thousands have access to the internet and Face-book and Twitter and al-Jazeera..... their coverage of Egypt was far superior to the "western" media). less cowed by the gerontocracy in power, tired of being unemployed and living in poverty and repression, while the autocrats, their families and their henchmen live in luxury, in walled palaces (Heliopolis), flouting their wealth and their disdain.
     In 1968, the arrogant and increasingly decrepit Charles de Gaulle, on being forced out of power, by the youths and trade unions of France, raged "Apres moi, C'est deluge". There was no "deluge", because the people of France were resilient. The Fifth Republic, which de Gaulle helped to create, in 1958, had the strong constitutional underpinnings to succeed. Egypt has earned the right to build such a constitution......Good Luck and keep out the Americans and other"sunshine friends"    

     The last Pharaoh has fled in disgrace, taking with him his ill-gotten riches and his besotted family. Such is the fate of those who dared to insult a people. Such is the fate of those who live in a bubble, detached from reality. The bubble has burst and the announcement was made by the "sinister one".... Suleiman, the feared secret police head, friend of Israel and the USA, "comrade-in arms" in the fight against "Islamic extremism", chief perpetrator of American rendition (once, in response to USA's request for DNA from a prisoner in his custody, he told them that he will send them an arm, but the Americans told him that some blood is all that was needed), once chosen to be the bridge to change, playing for time, so that the protest will run out of steam. It did not. 
     The hundreds of thousands were not only resilient, but peaceful. It was remarkable, almost unbelieveable that so many could gather for so long and the only violence came from the paid goons of the government. The "grandchildren" have shown a maturity, that confounded the "geriatrics" in power. Until the end, those in power, still treated them as spoiled children, telling them to go home.
     Now, the season of discontent has entered a dangerous phase. There is a mini vacuum of power. The military is now in charge. Will they be willing to give up power and huge wealth that they have acquired over the past 30 years. They have been praised past deeds and for not taking the side of Mubarak, but now wiil they continue to respect the people and act with restraint? This is where the Obama administration and especially the close relation between the Egyptian and American military ( while the older senior officers, like Mubarak, were mostly trained in Russia, the younger ones were trained in the USA), WILL BE PUT TO THE TEST.
     America fears instability in the region and previous administrations had sided with the autocrats, to hold the line. In Iran, in the Philippines, in Chile, in Indonesia they diddled and sided with th Shah, Marcos, Pinochet and Suharto, because of the fear of "communism". Unlike Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton, Obama emphasised the need for change and sent strong messages to Mubarak. When Mubarak hesitated and blamed "foreign" influences, Obama did not back down, and when yesterday, Obama felt that he had been misled, he reacted strongly, and made it clear that he was fed up with Mubarak. A few hours afterwards Mubarak resigned. Now the State Department, with the Defence Dept. must co-ordinate and ensure a steady, peaceful change to civilian rule. It cannot happen overnight, but some visible, needed changes have to be announced now.....plans to reduce poverty and unemployment, plans to defang the Interior ministry, plans to regain the looted wealth of the nation, plans to hold those responsible for the death of the 300 or so killed during the "revolution".The people must be convinced that real change is coming and not in years. The "streets" can come back, and then it will not be so peaceful.   

              

     The tens of thousands who rallied over the past two weeks have shown great discipline and fortitude. They came from all over the country, rich and poor, young and old, urban and rural, students and workers, men and women, religious and secular, Muslims and Christians, united for change. They have withstood attacks from the paid goons of the Regime and while bloodied, they remained strong, unbent and determined, singing, dancing, praying, even bringing their little children to witness the history being made. 
     However, now that the wily Suleiman, (a friend and ally of the West and Israel in his capacity head of security under Mubarak), has held talks with various groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood and representatives of the other "parties", it is clear that he is playing for time and hoping that the West (USA and Europe), will pull back from their demands that Mubarak must go now. He is also gambling on the population becoming tired of the continued protests and the need to get on with their lives, miserable as it may be.   
     This is an important turning point, and if Suleiman is allowed to grab the initiative in the name of "stability', then the past two weeks have been nothing but a blip in the long history of Egypt and the other autocratic/repressive regimes, and a great opportunity for change would have been wasted. Already the media coverage has been curtailed,( Anchors for  ABC, CBS etc. have left  (not enough burning buildings and bloodied bodies to fill their screens)...this lifeblood is a necessity, for if the  world is not looking , then the repression will begin. Many in Tahrir Square are aware of this and have made it clear that their original demands still stand....Mubarak must go and must go now. Sadly it may take some violence to get back the attention and refocus the objective.
     Nothing has changed, more than 40% of the people still live on less than $2 a day, Mubarak and cronies still control the wealth( billions siphoned to their private coffers) and power (time allows them to consolidate both), repression will be even worse and revenge will be widespread. The Mubarak loyalists, will sacrifice a few of their cronies, as a sop to the West, and they will raise the spectre of chaos, and instability, and the threat of Islamic radicalism, "Iran-style"......Will this work? Stay tuned.
     I believe that the people will persevere. They are on the side of history and Obama and the Europeans should get onside or the winds of change will flatten them. There is no going back.