The Sacrificial Ram

So there it is, the protesters, those who insisted they deserved the freedoms inherent in a democratic society, have been mollified. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has been removed from power. He, his wife and his sons have been humiliated. His son will not be his successor. His wife has been granted a manner of amnesty from prosecution for her magnanimous gesture in succumbing to threats by releasing all the money in her bank account and signing over ownership of family property to the state.

And Mr. Mubarak and his sons, Alaa and Gamal, are to face trial on charges of fraud, corruption, and ordering deadly assaults on protesters in Tahrir Square. The country which was beginning to pull its weight financially, enjoying revenues from tourism and foreign investment in manufacturing, now pleads for billions from the World Bank, and the G8 countries have pledged billions in its support.

The dreaded police are no longer seen on the streets. The people now 'own' the streets. And the result of that is a soaring crime rate. People are wondering where the police are. They cower in what is left of their fire-bombed police stations. They hesitate to express an authority they once had and which they no longer feel assurance in.

And the population which was once so resentful of rising food and energy prices now face even higher food and energy pricing. People who once cared about their neighbours' welfare no longer seem to. Unemployment, once such an urgent misery particularly among the young, compelling them to gather in protest and inform the government that they will no longer accept the status quo, is growing.

Those same young people were fed up with the lack of freedom; with the fact that bloggers who criticized the government or the religious institutions could be imprisoned. That the news media were muzzled and wrote only what they were compelled by authority to write. Above all, they wanted a voice in their society just as much as they wanted employment.

The Egyptian military took control from the civilian government, arresting those public figures of the executive branch of government whom the public named and detested for their dictatorial emphasis on governing. Corruption charges were laid; once-proud and dignified officials cowered and were led into confinement until their court dates on charges that puzzled and frightened them. All with good reason.

None can now criticize the military with impunity for there are repercussions. The promise to expeditiously turn over government to a civil authority and to re-write the constitution within a few short days has not quite eventuated. Suddenly the bad old days are looked upon with regret at their passing.

Journalists are being told what they may write. Criticism is censored. The image of the military must be protected, respected. Bloggers are being questioned by the military. Bloggers are being arrested and imprisoned. Wait; haven't we been there before...?

"We want to see appropriate due process and procedures followed in anyone's trial and particularly in such a highly charged trial as that will certainly be", said the American Secretary of State, referencing her country's former ally and his sons and addressing her concerns to the military rulers who have pledged to steer Egypt toward democracy.

"Nobody believes corruption was limited to the civilian government", said a prominent liberal politician, speaking anonymously out of fear of reprisal.

How dare he?