Egypt, and US Military Aid

A few days ago I wrote that the situation in Egypt was a delicate balance.

It now looks like Mubarak will be ousted, and there is a legitimate chance of a truly democratic new government.

If this does happen, it will largely be because of the US funded and trained army.

Reading between the lines, here is what happened:

The Cairo police were really the ones using tear gas etc. The Egyptian army, a relatively well-organized and professional force, decided that it was going to secure the capital itself. They also decide that they are not going to listen to orders from Mubarak, but instead support the protests and keep them peaceful.

Thus, yesterday, there was the largest protest yet (250k-1MM people), and the military set up checkpoints and simply patted people down for weapons while keeping the peace.

Thanks to the actions of the military, it now looks like Mubarak will be ousted.

This really is a heartwarming and wonderful moment, where the army backed a legitimate and peaceful protest, and the desires and voice of the people will hopefully be heard.