It's no surprise that the Middle East is undergoing a transformation. What I think and fear is happening is akin to a child wanting, insisting, demanding and even kicking & screaming for something new —something they've not had before— only to ... "yuck, I don't like it."

The people such Middle Eastern countries are fighting for their "freedom." But their definition of freedom is different from the next person ... within their own town.  Yet, they collectively believe that getting rid of the current regime is step one. I respect and admire that, but I worry about the outcome.

Egypt is at the heart of the Middle East. It's got treasures, natural resources, a phenomenal local with direct access and control over trade routes, tourism (even when under war), culture, civilization, etc.  Its people cover a wide range of classes, education, etc. In the Arabic World, Egypt is at the center of all things media. And now they have freed themselves from the main source of corruption in their country. But was that the reason their country is in its current state? I think not.

As bias as I may be, I cannot think of any time in Egypt's history, all the way back to the Pharaohs, where they enjoyed peace, harmony, cultural & economic prosperity and overall freedom except for one!  That's right, there was one period in history where Egypt, along with many of its neighbors, thrived.  A period that lasted for centuries.  A period where no young man had a reason to worry about providing for his family, much less set himself on fire out of frustration and pure helplessness; as did one man in Tunisia —setting & marking the beginning of the transformation in the region.  It's a period in history where there was all of those good things in the lands & people of current-day Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia & the whole Persian Gulf (including Bahrain), Yemen, Iraq, the area East & West of the River of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, etc.

But that period of time is all but erased from the Western mindset. It's a period where the Europeans relied on the knowledge, advances and culture of that thriving people of the now-Middle East. It's the period otherwise known as the Dark Ages.  That's right, it's the period where Islam & Muslims ruled over the region.  A region that has since dissipated and fragmented rendering the phrase "divide and conquer" ever-so more applicable.

Allow me to say this in another way ...

When Muslims ruled that region, there was peace in the Middle East.  Peace for the ignorant & nomads who may or may not have been taught to read (until the Muslims taught them), as well as for Christians, Muslims and Jews.  That's right, all three major religions THRIVED under Muslim rule.  Non-Muslims were treated with respect and dignity whose stories now live in our memories reminding us how to treat one another.  When Muslims ruled the region, even Persia (current-day Iran) was in line despite its long history of fighting with the Romans.

Think of the very fabric of our foreign policy here in this country, along with the millions upon millions we spend in the Middle East.  Now take that and add to it every soul lost in war —from our own and within the Middle East (Iraq's losses over the last decade have past 100,000).  Now add to it the political crap that goes on the Middle East like in Somalia and the little we here in the US hear about Sudan & Djibouti, which result in deaths, starving children, etc. All of it ... gone.  Solved. A non-issue.

The people of Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen,  Bahrain, and the barely-heard-of-protests / revolution-of-Libya (video) were all under one banner, one rule, one flag, etc. There was no Palestine vs. Israel. There was neither. Yet, both Muslims and Jews (and Christians) lived absolutely fine in the disputed Holy Land (Jerusalem and surrounding area).  As crazy as it may sound, Islam did not spread by the sword. Yet, when they were attacked during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Crusades, Muslims, Christians and Jews all suffered the consequences. And the Muslim rule at the time protected its citizen —all of their citizens, not just the Muslim ones.

The reality, as difficult as it may sound/seem for some, is that the best thing for that region may be Islam itself. Egypt and others are going to have a hard time with any one ruler they get. Their job is protect the borders dictated by their occupiers in times past to help keep their own power, wealth and control. I've said it before, but does anyone really think that countries like Kuwait or even Bahrain deserve to be countries? They cannot maintain their own sovereignty when things get tough. And that may be true for most of the Persian Gulf.  True Islam is the enemy of all "Muslim" leaders in the Middle East —No exception.

But is there any true Islam left? I'd like to think that it's out there somewhere.

You got the deranged-Wahhabis , who have developed their own doctrine fueled by a political agenda instead of Islam, followed by the Shias predominately in Iran and parts of Syria & Lebanon.  At the end of the day, however, most Muslims know the right thing because it's in front of them. It's there in the Qur'an and Sunnah. Islam is not (and never was) just a religion. It touched on all facets of life. Reverting to that instead of borders, political lines and power trips will free the people, the land and the rest of the World of the issues in the Middle East.

We, here in the US, would be richer for it —given that we give more to Israel than the rest of the World combined (and more than the per capita of Spain); followed by a distant second to Egypt ... my guess it's for keeping peace with Israel.

I personally think, have beyond reasonable doubt & faith, that it will happen eventually sooner or later. And given the facts of history, I say why not? We've tried everything else in that region. Why not?! There will be no reason for us to meddle with their affairs, save money and free ourselves from the fear of Islam and its followers.