This afternoon, Wolf Blitzer almost lifted off the ground with excitement at events unfolding in Egypt and Jordan. He kept repeating how serious it was in a tone that suggested that the winds of war were so strong, he might just get his kite out of the closet and fly it.
This evening, there was further discussion of how bad it could get. Even Piers Morgan, new to the group, intoned that things were looking very dangerous indeed.
I am in solidarity with the Egyptian people up to the point when the revolution there cancels the Morgan interview with the unrequited love of my life, actor Colin Firth and cuts into my Friday evening rendezvous with junk food.
Such is my life as a member of the vast audience witnessing the great events of history that play out not beneath my window here but in the global window of my television. We “watchers” won’t feel the bullets or smell the tear gas but wait until we need to fill up the car, buy groceries or do a million other things linked to stability in the Middle East.
While newscasters tonight think they have correctly characterized the crowds in the streets of Cairo and Alexandria as non-religious and a-political in their leanings and in their goals, Iran’s Ahmadinejad has already indicated that this is just the beginning of regional dominance of hard-line Islamists.
Not to be out flanked, President Obama has declared his solidarity with the Egyptian people and has revealed the “lecture” he gave Mubarak this evening that he should handle demonstrators with care. He also cautioned the demonstrators. It is sad that the President doesn’t seem to stand in solidarity with the American people. He can so clearly see what the Egyptian citizens want, but he has missed the boat here in the US.
Personally I know that things are very bad because CNN has trotted out one of my favorite commentators, Fouad Ajami of John’s Hopkins University who has commented:
The recent uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen represent an “avalanche on the autocracies of the Arab world,” according to renowned Middle East expert and Johns Hopkins University Professor . Fouad Ajami.
“I think now the Arabs are expressing this incredible moment of liberty,” said Prof. Ajami, in an interview with the Jerusalem Post’s Mordechai Twersky and broadcast Jan. 27 on JPost.com. [JersulamPost]
So now that Ajami is on the scene this Friday evening, my interest in the Egyptian situation is revived prior to Monday morning. Most Americans like their weekends off. That is why Barack Obama was so successful in ramming through legislation in the recent past. He understood our body rhythms but ignored our ideas.
Here is Faoud Ajami speaking at the Hoover Institution. This is a good introduction to his point of view as it covers multiple areas of the current Islamic quandary. He does not believe the war for Islam is lost:
And so I retire for the evening, satisfied that out there in medialand there are still calm voices that speak wisdom and not war.
More information on the role of media in this crisis:
AFVET
January 29, 2011
Obama was successful in ramming through legislation because he had a radical left wing liberal majority in congress.
Our body rhythms are inconsequential, our memory is something that he has to contend with.
The consummate memory of the conservatives across the fruited plain will prove to be the largest obstacle Obama has ever been confronted with.
The internet is 24/7.
Poor Barry.
samhenry
January 31, 2011
Well, he will hear from us now and he’s the only fruited anything I know.
samhenry
January 29, 2011
Yes but he is very aware of the weekend news cycle. And really, on weekends the hits on many of the sites slow (mine included).
samhenry
January 29, 2011
We have long memories, AFVET, but the current generation has no knowledge of history.
DarcsFalcon
January 29, 2011
It’s really creepy how excited newcasters get over bad news. You can see how thrilling it is for them. They were really bad here in Chicago on 9/11 too. *shudder* Bloodthirsty vultures!