In the early months of 2011 what soon became known as the Arab Spring arrived from Tunisia to Egypt, to Cairo, to Tahrir Square. And what did its arrival bring? It brought street protests of a rather heterogeneous nature. There was a small but telegenic cadre of idealist youth demanding a new politics, if not a specifically democratic politics. There were legions of Muslim Brotherhood foot soldiers demanding sharia law. There were smatterings of ordinary Cairenes who saw an opportunity, perhaps, to drive the rentier military-bureaucratic regime from power. There were criminals who took the opportunity to loot stores, burgle …read more
Source: The American Interest
