While not wishing to detract from the genuine heroism and courage of most of the demonstrators in Egypt, I'd like to hit the brakes on the Optimism Express re: that nation's prospects of genuine democracy. Here's a survey by Pew Research Center that found, inter alia, that most Muslim countries take the "we are all Hizbollah" line, and, rather more depressingly, that "three-quarters of Muslims in Egypt and Pakistan say they would favor making each of the following the law in their countries: stoning people who commit adultery, whippings and cutting off of hands for crimes like theft and robbery and the death penalty for those who leave the Muslim religion."

Three effing quarters. Democracy dead ahead, or just dead?