Post from a contributor

I read something today that really got me wondering about how little some people think before they speak/write/whatever. Granted, there are lots of people who speak after thinking, but who should still not speak without supervision. Still, everyone is entitled to their own opinions (at least I hope that's still allowed by our government), but I believe everyone would benefit far better by praying for stability & peace in Egypt right now, than for simply encouraging an uprising against its admittedly tyrannical government. Mubarek will certainly be forced to leave. There's no question about that. The potential, most concerning problem is what he and the current government will be replaced with and who will be controlling it.

A democracy is what many people reportedly desire as a result of these demonstrations, but the overwhelming majority of the population in Egypt is at least 80-90 percent Muslim, many of whom I believe support the implementation of Sharia law into national law. I don't know about you, but there isn't a single nation I know of with a true democracy and respect for human rights, where Sharia law is incorporated into the laws of that nation. The religion of the majority of Egyptians wouldn't necessarily be an issue, except for the largest faction in support of overthrowing Mubarek & his government. But before getting into the Muslim Brotherhood, we need to recall some important history.

Mubarek's predecessor, Anwar Sadat, was removed from office through assassination by Islamic terrorists in 1981. His assassination was carried out by extremists who opposed Sadat's successful attempts to develop peace with Israel (a Jewish nation), after their numerous wars & battles with each other, basically over control of the Sinai Peninsula & Suez Canal. This happened about a year after Reagan took office and the Americans hostage in Iran had been released. But we really need to go back a little further than Sadat and look at other areas in close proximity within the Middle East, not just Egypt.

The Shah of Iran, during WWII, nearly joined sides with Hitler, Mussolini & Hirohito, primarily because of popular Iranian resentment towards the Jewish people and Iranian support of the Holocaust. The Allies invaded Iran in 1941 to prevent Hitler from acquiring the oil reserves there. American & British support for Iran after 1941 was generally accepted & approved of by most Iranians, until the early 1950's. Afterwards, Iranian support turned to resentment, which developed into full-blown hatred of the U.S. and its allies for our support of Israel. After all, we were formed as a Christian nation and, in spite of what today's biased media would have us believe, we still are.

In comes the Ayatollah Khomeini into power in Iran and they are poisoned against Israel and, by association & for our support for Israel, the U.S., ever since his labeling of us as the "Great Satan." His lies and terrorist-motivating, hate-filled speeches and direction were what fired up the Iranian students who overran the American Embassy there. You know about the ensuing hostage situation that took place in Tehran over the next 444 days.

We all know about human rights' violations in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan, pretty much anywhere there are areas controlled by governments that accept Sharia law as part of national/regional law. None of these countries have true democracies, although we're trying to support one now, in Iraq and elsewhere. We also see the huge resistance to this by growing numbers of brain-washed, Islamic extremists, a/k/a terrorists.

The Muslim Brotherhood is one of the largest, well-organized groups in support of the current revolt against the Mubarek regime in power in Egypt now. This group is nearly a hundred years old, with splinter groups, terroristic groups & individuals, that have spun off of it, most of which you may not have heard of before. However, unless you've been living under a rock for the last 10 years, I know you have heard of the terrorist groups, Al Qaeda & Hammas, as well as the individuals, Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, Ayman Al-Zawahiri and Sheikh Hassan Yousef. These individuals & groups are not nice folks and they all have something in common: they were all members of the Muslim Brotherhood at one time.

So, since the government has cut off internet and other means of communications, as well as transportation and other vital systems in Egypt, guess who steps in as the primary disseminator of information to organize the uprisings and demonstrations against Mubarek? That's right, the Muslim Brotherhood.

No doubt, there are a large number of Muslims who would like to see a peaceful transition to a new form of government in Egypt. I'm also highly prone to believe there are a larger number of Muslims, in Egypt and elsewhere in close proximity, that would prefer to see a new government in place that hasn't had close ties to and support from the U.S. and our allies.

I'm not anti-Islamic. I'm anti-Islamic extremist. I find it difficult to tolerate or even sympathize with any group that demands the conversion of all non-believers or their destruction by any means available.

I don't want to see this opportunity abused by the next Khomeini or Ahmadinejad who might take power in Egypt. That would be catastrophic for peace between Egypt and Israel, as well as the U.S. and our allies. This instability is exactly what Egypt and this entire region does NOT need.

As for human rights and living conditions within Egypt, we need to support those ideals with which we agree and potential leaders who have a proven track record of supporting & promoting just such ideas. Overthrowing an entire government in this mostly Muslim region is an insanely complex and extremely dangerous prospect that has to be done carefully and has to be done right the first time. Right here in our own country, we've seen the damage that can so quickly be done by putting an idiot with his own, liberal agendas, and his liberal-backed administration, into the highest office in the land.

You may not agree, but that's how I see it. History lesson for today, free of charge