Out of Egypt

Egypt is free! The power of the people to overthrow their 30 year control-hungry dictator in 18 days is absolutely amazing.

I posted the satire below two days ago, the day Mubarak was expected to announce his resignation. I felt at the time an introductory comment was in order, but I was quite tired and wanted to post the satire when it was still timely. Sure enough, by the very next morning, it would have already been outdated! So let me set it up now with my own heart of prayer for Egypt, Israel, the Middle East. May Egypt’s tremendous display of democracy bring forth full democracy; may it s sweep throughout the Middle East; and may it bring forth an awakening of light that shines brighter and brighter. May peace with Israel continue, and may Israel live into its Torah command to “love foreigners, because you were foreigners living in Egypt.” Finally, may Egypt’s freedom bring about a moment when Egypt, Israel, and the Middle Eastern world sheds the notion of “foreigner” and instead embrace the notion of “brother.”

Regarding the satire itself, it is not an LOL satire. In a more blatant way, it pokes fun at Mubarak, but the real tease is at the world’s response to Mubarak’s “surprising” decision not to resign, in light of reports by those who work for him that he “might resign.” Thursday morning, NPR made three announcements: (a) that Mubarak’s administration had held a meeting at which Mubarak himself was not present; (b) that highly important officials within Mubarak’s regime and within his army were announcing his possible resignation that evening; and (c) that CIA Director Leon Pinetta announced a “strong possibility” Mubarak would resign that evening. I put (a) together with (b) and (c) and thought “brilliant!” Sure enough, events transpired as ought to have been expected: Mubarak did not resign (check!); the people of Egypt were enraged (check!); the international community responded in astonishment (check!); the next day, Mubarak resigned (check – but an astonishingly quick check!) I would have expected more resistance before the secret meeting’s brilliant strategy worked. I also would not have expected everyone in the media to continue with their clueless questions regarding “the ‘contradiction’ in Mubarak’s communication.” They themselves had reported that a meeting had taken place of top officials without Mubarak present, so why did they think his officials were speaking for him? In any case, what I think transpired, as alluded to in my satire, turned out to be a fully brilliant strategy. Feel free to see it in the post below. Blessings to Egypt.