Anniversary of the historic Egyptian uprising

Today is the second anniversary of the historic Egyptian uprising that overthrew US-bankrolled dictator, Hosni Mubarak. This is the scene today in Cairo as opponents of president Mohammed Morsi (who has  not broken with US control) confront riot cops. Many look at this scene & see defeat for the forces of social transformation (now apparently reduced to a rag-tag band of zealots) against the well-armed, US-backed forces of repression. Cynicism is never a wise gauge in political determinations.

Political conflict of such an extreme nature as the Egyptian uprising separates the wheat from the chaff, the committed from the half-hearted & teaches thousands of activists in the relentless school of revolution what works & what does not--and this is not to minimize the extreme danger the Egyptian freedom fighters face.

Now we know for sure that social transformation of the kind demanded by the Arab uprisings does not come easy & is not only local. It is an international movement. But despite the set-backs & confusions & weaknesses of the Egyptian revolution, we also know for sure that our Egyptian brothers & sisters have set a dynamic in motion that will not be reversed nor will it be daunted by drones, the CIA, the US State Department, the Pentagon. That dynamic is the power of united, massive, fearless opposition to tyranny. And as the  US taxpayers who bankroll these monstrous institutions, we can only trust that our solidarity with our Egyptian brothers & sisters will help to bring this tyranny to an end. (Photo by Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters)