Saturday October 20, 2007

I've Been Thinking:

The health of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has tongues wagging and rumors flying throughout Egypt and the Arab world.

Everywhere in the Arab world, newspapers are writing about it.
Everywhere that is, except Egypt, where writing on that subject is forbidden.
Even England - a country with a significant Arab population - picked up the story and the World Tribune ran a news piece on Friday.

Here is what I can piece together from all the rumors and reports:
Mubarak, 79 years old, collapsed last week as he was about to leave on a trip to Saudi Arabia. The trip was cancelled. Mubarak was also scheduled to leave for Germany to undergo medical tests. That trip, too, was cancelled. Mubarak was too weak to fly.

Several months ago similar rumors were swirling around.
After Arabic press around the world picked up the story, Mubarak did a slew of interviews to show that he was strong and still in charge.

There is much at stake here.
He might call himself "president" but Mubarak is a true dictator.
Egypt is the most significant country in the Middle East both in population and influence. Instability in Egypt sends waves throughout the region.

Mubarak controls Egypt with an iron hand encased in silk.
No one, not even the son he is grooming to take over his position, is capable of maintaining the calm Mubarak has commanded - except the military and police.

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