So I guess Egypt is shitting the mattress

Let’s listen to the most intelligent sentient moustache ever and his human host, John Bolton.

I think what’s clearly happened today [in  Egypt] is that the Muslim Brotherhood, the radical Islamist party in Egypt has called it’s supporters into the street. I don’t think it was present on the first two or three days. 

I think after the Friday prayers the Brotherhood brought its people out. That’s why the protests are even more extensive today. That constitutes no doubt about it a direct threat to the military government, and I think the failure of the other security forces to bring the demonstrations under control also now explains the presence of the military. 

Let me be clear here, this is not just the Mubarak-family government. The military has ruled Egypt since Gamal Nasser and they over through King Farook. 

It’s the military that is the real government and they are not going to go peacefully. 

…I think the question is whether and to what extent the Muslim Brotherhood and radical Islamists have infiltrated the leadership. If the military holds firm it’s entirely possible, although bloody, that the government can hold onto power. That doesn’t necessarily mean Mubarak will be in power, but the military will be, and I think that is why this contrast makes it so important for people to understand, this is not a choice between the Mubarak government on one hand, and sweetness and light, Jeffersonian democracy on the other.

That’s whats at stake here folks.

More than likely, there are no reform-minded democrats in Egypt in a position to take the reins of this revolution.

That means we have no good options. 

Damnit.

Once again, we are confronted by the thinness of possibility.  In our dreams, anything can happen.  Time travel, mental telepathy, Weezer putting out a listenable album in the 21st century; lots of crazy unbelievable shit can happen in an ideal world. 

In the real world, most of the time we get only a few choices and none of them are good.  I would love for there to be a vibrant democracy movement in Egypt.  I’d also love to own a McLaren F1.  Neither one are gonna happen.

Why?  Because in both cases, nobody has created the conditions for those things to exist.  In Egypt, the American government hasn’t done enough to foster real live democrats. Neither has anyone else for that matter.   Of course the Mubarak regime hasn’t lifted a finger to help create a democratic tradition.  Has the United Nations encouraged an Egyptian democracy?  Please.

Until we start investing time, manpower, resources and money in promoting rad shit like the rule of law, property rights, limited government and natural rights, we’re always going to be stuck with bad options.  We’ll either have to cozy up to vile scumbags like Hosni Mubarak and try to scour off his stank-ass stench or we’ll have to give implicit thumbs up to local jag-off movements that hate us.         

Instead of being proactive we watch as nations go into violent revolt,  then grab our rabbits’ foot and wish for things to work out.  “Oh please, make Egypt a happy little Mediterranean republic.  Hell, I’d take a semi-functioning constitutional monarchy. Pretty Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeze?”

Bolton’s right.  This could be a little hiccup in Mubarak’s reign of douche.  The Egyptian military could put this little unpleasantness down and it’ll all be over.  On the other hand, the Muslim Brotherhood could finally cream their jeans and snag themselves an Egypt trophy for the terrorist cave mantlepiece.

Whatever happens in Egypt, we’ll probably still be wishing for a more fair government instead of actually doing what we can to make that happen.