To Devils advocate

Submitted by John in Michigan, USA (United States), Feb 4, 2011 at 22:41

Dr. Pipes lived in Egypt for almost two years (1971-2?) before he started his Ph.D at Harvard. He writes fondly about the cosmopolitan Cairo he knew and loved, that is now changed almost beyond recognition, mostly due to the fall of secular pan-Arabism and the rise of Islamism. He clearly hopes to see the Cairo of his youth return one day. I do not think it is fair to suggest that he wouldn't give Egypt credit when credit is due. But he is also trying to give his readers a realistic assessment of the chances that the current movement in Egypt will accomplish that (he is pessimistic).

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