The road to democracy

By George S. Hishmeh – Washington D.C.
 
There were many memorable episodes in the glorious Egyptian Revolution, recorded in photos or on the Internet, there is bound to remain in memory for most people in the industry for many years and can definitively shaky future of the Middle East.
But the ripple effect triggered by both the Tunisian "Jasmine Revolution" and later Egyptian "day of anger" is bound to re-ignite revival of Arab nationalism across the Arab world – a movement that so greatness under the leadership of Gamal Abdel Nasser, which contributed to the overthrow of the Egyptian monarchy in 1952.

What has been marked so far has been the new Egyptian generation, men and women in all walks of life, which brought together day and night in more than two weeks in Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square during their successful shakedown Mubarak regime's diehard commitment. And what was very pleasing and soothing was their surprise readiness to clean the large square, when many of them joined hands voluntarily in the area and remove the brush the ample garbage.
This was a striking development especially for anyone who has seen the apartment bebøre in main Arab cities shaking tablecloths or travelling rugs from the balconies are sometimes unaware of the passers by. This time around young people seemed to tell all Tahrir square is now their home, just like their own places of residence, which is also kept clean. The message will be they wanted to keep their country clean, just like their attempted sweeps out all remnants of the discredited Egyptian regime.

This Revolution of young people was also remarkable for the role to the Internet, in particular the social media highlight of the key exchanges on Facebook with fellow travellers within the country or abroad. Of course, the enterprising Aljazeera, who regularly had patriotic songs of the late Egyptian popular singer Um Kalthoum heralding important messages or news. This is not to belittle Alarabiya and BBC Arabic role in their hourly monitoring of events major Egyptian cities overwhelming. Equally fascinating has been of mobile phones, which could be spotted with the demonstrators, either messaging colleagues or to take pictures of their parades role.

As determined not to be left behind, had The New York Times, even an original twist. It carried out a large gold-framed photo of President Mubarak, as apparently hanging in the Presidential Palace, which covers more than half the front of his "Week in Review" section, but the photo of the dictator youngish leader was illustrated the head.

Just as stirring was the dominøffekt that intifada (uprising) had in the Arab world. Many Arab leaders appeared shaking in their boots, throw all sorts of promises. Iraq's Prime Minister promised to cut his salary in half, and that he would not run in a third period. Syria allowed the introduction of social media. Been formed a new Jordanian Government. The Palestinians will also hold national elections next September. But the three countries, there are still facing serious turbulence was Algeria, Bahrain, Yemen, if President announced last minute decision to cancel his trip to Washington.

But if the Arab world has been hot-dip galvanized by demonstrators call for democracy, the West, especially the United States, has been in the meantime, the sense of the end. U.S. policy statements at the beginning of the Egyptian revolution seemed disjointed, frustrating many of its listeners, officials and non-officials.  But in the end President Obama speeches since the new status quo in Egypt only relieve many of the region, to allow them to take a deep breath of fresh air.

The way forward is still bound to counter large obstacles from both parties in the Arab world, regained control of their noble homeland and those remaining autocrats, which undoubtedly was sorry the American turnaround time as Mubarak fell into disgrace. All undoubtedly can still ask whether they can trust the u.s. Government to come to their assistance, now that the two countries have yielded to their peoples outcry and drove out two pro-Western rulers.

The road to democracy in the Arab world will not be a smooth ride. There is bound to be many pitfalls that can frustrate many freedom fighters. Dr. Naseer Aruri, Chancellor professor (emeritus) in political science at the University of Massachusetts, wondered about the "is not the time for Washington to revise its entire policy throughout the Middle East to assure, that democracy can actually thrive in an atmosphere of political dignity."
But to quote one big frustration, he continued in an article this week in Counterpunch, says that "as long as the Palestinians live under isrælsk supervision and are humiliated day in and day out, they will not be attracted by the virtues of democracy."
Time is running fast.