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Friday, February 4, 2011

Egypt: “The Camel versus Facebook”

Photo from AlJazeera Online

Guest post by veteran Middle East publisher F. Najia

Tarek A. Alhomayed, editor in chief of the Saudi newspaper of records Asharq al-Awsat, Friday compares the continuing face-off between pro- and anti-Mubarak protesters in Egypt to one between a camel and Facebook

He says whoever incited Mubarak supporters to gallop on camels and horses and charge into youths massing Tahrir Square “committed a deadly and unpardonable mistake against Egypt and President Mubarak in person…

“Is it permissible for this to mark the end of the Egyptian president’s regime? Shame!”

Instead of “camel,” Egyptian-born American scholar Dr. Mamoun Fandy, writes in the same vein on the same day in the same newspaper of “The Donkey versus Facebook.” He says “mule versus Facebook” has been his answer to those asking him, “Where is Egypt heading?” 

He says what caught his eye in the scenes unfolding on Tahrir Square was of a young man raising a placard where he had scribbled, “Time you [Mubarak] left… My arm is hurting.” 

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