Be careful what you wish for...

neocons and liberals agree on something, I get very nervous.

Here are the results of the Pew survey on Egyptian beliefs:


The Pew survey found wide streams of opinion in Egypt that seem at the very least inhospitable to democracy. When asked which side they would take in a struggle between “groups who want to modernize the country [and] Islamic fundamentalists,” 59 percent of Egyptians picked the fundamentalists, while 27 percent picked the modernizers. In a country in which the army will likely play a deciding role in selecting the next political leadership, just 32 percent believe in civilian control of the military. And a majority, 54 percent, support making segregation of men and women in the workplace the law throughout Egypt.
There’s more. When asked whether suicide bombing can ever be justified, 54 percent said yes (although most believe such occasions are “rare”) Eighty-two percent supported stoning for those who commit adultery.


Quiver. This is not going to turn out well, despite Kristof's optimism.


And we also owe it to the brave men and women of Tahrir Square — and to our own history and values — to make one thing very clear: We stand with the peaceful throngs pleading for democracy, not with those who menace them.



Who's democracy? The right to shut down women's rights? The right to go to suicidal war with Israel? The right to stone apostates to death?

After all the leg chopping, genocide, and witchcraft he's seen in Africa, why does Kristof think that backwards people are capable of ruling themselves?


Friedman urges Israel to create a Palestinian state before it's too late. Too late.