Is the revolution already over?

Joshua Stacher in Foreign Affairs writes that "Despite the tenacity, optimism, and blood of the protesters massed in Tahrir Square, Egypt's democratic window has probably already closed. Contrary to the dominant media narrative, over the last ten days the Egyptian state has not experienced a regime breakdown. The protests have certainly rocked the system and have put Mubarak on his heels, but at no time has the uprising seriously threatened Egypt's regime."

"There is no doubt that the post-Mubarak era is afoot, but it is not necessarily a democratic one".

"When the uprising began in Egypt, many linked the events in Tunis and Cairo and declared that 2011 might be the Arab world's 1989. Instead, 2011 is showing just how durable and adaptable the authoritarian regimes of the Arab world truly are."

Is that so?

Muhamad al-Baradai says in an CNN interview with Fareed Zakaria: "we haven't heard anything about the ability to establish new parties, freely, the abolition of martial law. So a huge part of the problem is people - the young people in particular - do not have any sense of credibility that these people mean what they say."


Feb. 10 - still nothing. But Pres. Mubarak speach is ambiguous. If it was an attempt to step aside, and the signs from te army would mean that, then there needs to be a confirmation soon.