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Egypt Sundown: Democracy, Hopefully

Plus the region-shaking, U.S. politicking, Moussa, and more

by
Marc Tracy
February 11, 2011
Party in Tahrir Square.(John Moore/Getty Images)
Party in Tahrir Square.(John Moore/Getty Images)

Don’t forget to check out all my interviews last week, as well as (especially?) my chat this week with Professor Samer Shehata on why Egypt is ready for democracy and the world is ready for a democratic Egypt.

• “Today belongs to the people of Egypt,” President Obama said. [WSJ]

• The Arab world has been shocked by the successful Egyptian Revolution, which toppled a regime that, in many respects, had existed since 1952. What’s next? [WP]

• Joy in Tahrir Square. [News Desk]

• Why a military-run Egypt isn’t necessarily a bad thing from the perspective of democracy (assuming it’s temporary), and why a “bumpy road” still lies ahead. [Slate]

• As Judith Miller has reported, Israeli officials are worried now—they prefer certainty. [NYT]

• “There is a big chance now and a window has opened after this white revolution, and after the president’s concession,” said Arab League head Amr Moussa. “As an Egyptian citizen, I am proud to serve my country with all the others at this stage, to build a consensus of opinion.” [BBC]

Did I say Arab League head? I meant former Arab League head: He resigned today. Hrmm. [Babylon & Beyond]

• American Jewish groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, congratulated the Egyptian people and cautioned against the rise of extremists. Fair. [JTA/Forward]

• Before resigning from office, President Hosni Mubarak reportedly told an Israeli lawmaker that the United States was making a mistake in backing Egyptian democracy—that radical Islamists will come to power as a result. [Haaretz]

• There are reports the military was displeased by Mubarak’s defiant speech last evening; this may have played a role in today’s events. [Laura Rozen]

• The Swiss government froze Mubarak’s assets. [WSJ]

• Of all the regional governments for whom this represents a setback, Saudi Arabia’s may be at the top of the list. [WSJ]

• Some American thinkers totally saw this coming. [PostPartisan]

• Iran’s government praises Egyptian people power, clamps down on internal protests. It’s like they’re trying to be as unlikable as possible. [Babylon & Beyond]

• Politics! Vice President Biden thanked Republicans for halting it at the water’s edge. A Democratic spokesperson lauded the president’s leadership. Presumptive GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty accused the president of—can you guess the word?—“appeasing” the Muslim Brotherhood. Oh, the next 20 months are going to be such a delight. [Ben Smith]

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.