As for Egyptian unrest...

(Mubarak’s speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DtOr6BBOHg )

Yesterday, after weeks of rampant protesting in his country, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak made a speech announcing he had fired his whole Cabinet in an acknowledgement of the ‘legitimate demand’ for governmental reform.

This attempt at appeasement seems to have had little more calming effect on the revolting populace than Mubarak’s earlier efforts to shut down unrest by shutting down text messaging and internet, and authorising the army to enforce curfew in major cities like Cairo, Alexandria and Suez.  Firing government officials is apparently too little, too late for citizens of Egypt who want to see the end of Mubarak’s thirty years as President of the country.

The only thing surprising in the situation would be if Mubarak thought the ploy would be enough to save his position amid calls for his dismissal. History shows once a population is incensed enough to take to the streets in a riot, not a lot can be done to keep a leader in power except swiftly putting down the protest with a show of brutal violence. To his credit, and the credit of the Egyptian army, Mubarak has kept well away from that mark in policing the chaos in the cities.

And yet, there is little chance that Mubarak’s refrain from out and out violence will do him much good. There’s little chance that the man will outlast the civil unrest with his power in tact. The best he should hope for is to avoid the Mussolini treatment and get out of Egypt while the getting is good.