No One Appears Ready for What is Next.

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Jan 31, 2011 at 13:38

For those who have looked at the Middle East situation with certain apprehensions as to when there might be another dramatic shift in the circumstances that will compel dramatic responses in order to avert a total collapse in the status quo, they need not look any further. Using the Copts as a pretense to foment Islamically based hatreds, Egyptians of the Muslim sensibilities are moving to a tune of similar harmony to that of Turkey in trying to make a return to an Islamically determined destiny, with the predestined returned antipathies towards Israel.

Even as Mubarak pretends to be interested in a balance of power, he just as quickly refuses to share the more potent aspects of it. As Dr. Pipes observes, the Copts are targeted by Islamists for the same reason 'Palestinians' target Israelis: they hate them. So that hatred is directed towards the one place that Mubarak thinks he can afford to compromise, for any other direction compromises his power. What remains to be seen is whether he is put into the position of compromising the relationship with Israel in order to gain internal security.

This may seem to be harder to do now that the Egypt-Gaza border is no longer as well protected before these things broke. The Israeli's now have to contend with the damaged relations as well as the increase of militant insurgents into Gaza with intent of bringing even more of that hatred with them. There is the danger of the likeminded sentiments causing similar breaches of peace surrounding Israel, after which one need only look at the Hebrew Holy Bible to understand what is next. What Mubarak may have looked to the Copts for in protecting this power by sacrificing them to the wolves may very well be the undoing of his protection from a greater source. Israel needs to be ready for what is next.

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