I am happy to see that Mubarek was made to eat his words. It is appropriate. But I have to say that in retrospect, I think that the US mainstream media, such as NBC news, which is now aligning itself closely with the movement in Egypt, mislead the US public badly for at least the last two decades about the conditions in Egypt, which the US was supporting with large amounts of cash.

Yet, while our media was protraying the image that all was well in Egypt, with it's peace with Israel, control of the Suez Canal, intelligence service rooting out those radical islamists, border closings between Palestine and Egypt....the perfect partner....

....Now we find out that there is abject poverty, no civil rights, no democracy, no freedom of the press or speech or assembly, people who opposed the government disappear, tortured, and on and on - for the last 30 years. Where have these networks been all this time? Covering it all up on behalf of the US government interests, isn't that right?

This kind of coverup has carried over even into the later stages of the uprising. For example, while the mainstream US media did report that there was some violence against the protesters, and my recollection is that there was a report of maybe 4 protesters being killed, now we find out that it is 300. I still don't think that NBC has reported that figure. Why not?

The Egyptian people have a very difficult job of trying to steer their military to establish a free, democratic society. But the problem is that the military has been receiving huge amounts of money from the US. Hopefully it isn't too much under the thumb of US influence. If it is, and that comes out, and don't say it can't, because the Wikileaks scandal has shown that nothing is sacred, it could be really destabilizing for Egypt. Their citizenry do not want to be under the control of the US.

Congratulations to the people of Egypt. It is rare to see a community so united, at least seemingly so. It is inspiring. We could use many improvements in our own democracy.