Pirate's Cove

It’s almost 3am Cairo time. What will happen when it becomes daylight in a few hours?

For 10 days, violent protests have engulfed Egypt, calling for the resignation of embattled president Hosni Mubarak, killing at least eight and wounding hundreds as increasing lawlessness, looting and arson continues. Friday will be the moment of truth for both sides as pro-democracy protesters have declared call for all Egyptians to descend on Mubarak’s palace in Heliopolis, the People’s Assembly and the television building that afternoon.

Dissatisfied with Mubarak’s Feb. 1 announcement that he will remain in power until elections are held in Sept., protesters have given Mubarak until Fri. to leave office, declaring Feb. 4 the “Friday of Departure”, where they will march to Mubarak’s palace in a last-ditch attempt to force the president out of office.

Why am I thinking that his could go disastrously wrong, and the violence could get out of control, especially since the army says they are siding with the protesters?

Meanwhile, media representatives are shocked, shocked, that they are being attacked and threatened, and have now made the Egypt narrative all about themselves. In an area where they are rioting un-peaceably, looting, burning things, throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, etc and so on, and, many of the people, some of them hardcore Islamists, do not like Western people, this was to be expected. Just because someone flashes a media credential doesn’t mean they will be safe. Remember, the US State Dept. told Americans to get out of dodge.