re: #25 Talking Point Detective

Agreed…

but Mubarak stepping down without a violent overthrow is a pretty big deal, considering that just a few weeks ago he reigned over a brutally oppressive police state with impunity. This is a huge signal to the people of the ME that they can oust repressive dictators through essentially non-violent action. Obviously, we don’t know the ultimate outcome, but this a huge deal and it is certainly possible - given how the military has acted so far and given their general popularity with most Egyptians - that the military will usher in a far superior government to the one which has been forced out.

Agree x 10.

We have a long and deep relationship with the Egyptian military that has led to their having a much higher level of professionalism than is typical for the region. I believe (but cannot prove, obviously) that this is one of the reasons that they have behaved in the restrained way that they have.