by Cinda Smaagaard

Created on: February 14, 2011   Last Updated: February 18, 2011

The Egyptian "revolution" that started January 25th in Cairo and ended with President Hosni Mubarak's departure from office will be good for their neighbor Israel to the East only if Egypt's government does not fall into the hands of anti-Israel Islamic fundamentalists.  It does not appear thusfar that the young, liberal, educated Egyptians who started the revolution nor Egypt's older, experienced economic elite want the Muslim Brotherhood or any other one-sided religious or ideological group to run the country.

As of this date, the Egyptian army has taken control of the day-to-day administration of Egypt.  They have publically stated that they will continue to honor the Egyptian-Israeli peace accords which have been in place for years despite both President Mubarak and Vice President Suleiman's loss of political power.  Egypt's progressive revolutionaries, for example the young Google executive from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wael Gohnim, seems to be unconcerned with any political ambitions himself.  He and his followers, however, have made it clear that they did not fight for freedom for nothing and do not wish to go back to any kind of regime or any political power who would impose Marshall Law, loss of freedom of the press and speech or be otherwise unconstructive to a new and improved Egypt.

The most notable thing about the transition changes taking place in Egypt right now is the confidence of the Egyptian people.  They have asked for no help from outsiders, although I do believe they want their money back from any accounts, specifically the Swiss accounts, where Egyptian funds collected over years of despotic rule may have been squirreled away.  Egypt also can boast that they have had several Nobel prize winners and two who are living, ElBaradei (who unfortunately tossed his hat into the ring alongside the Muslim Brotherhood) and Ahmed Zewail (Council of Advisors on Science and Technology) have both returned to Egypt to help with the transition period.  The old regime relied upon a council of "wise men" who I assume will continue in that role.  This group has been primarily successful religious, business and professional people who have helped determine the course of Egypt's destiny of the last 30 years.

Egypt is home to many sacred and historical sites such as the pyramids.  They also hold control over the most major port site in history, the Suez Canal, so it is not anticipated that the Egyptian Army

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