Protests in Egypt

Protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square ran pro-Mubarak counter-protesters out of the area in the early morning hours of Thursday, eyewitnesses reported.

It was a surprising show of force by pro-reform demonstrators who spent the day under siege from pro-Mubarak crowds who physically assaulted protesters and, according to many reporters, deliberately targeted the media in an attempt to stop news reports out of Egypt.

Raw Story

Considering the attackers had horses, camels, and crude weapons (some reports of machetes, razors and clubs), and a tanker was stationed at the perimeter firing tracers into the air, I find this truly amazing.

"It is absurd to think of this as simply 'clashes' between two rival groups," Kristof [of the New York Times] wrote. "The pro-democracy protesters are unarmed and have been peaceful at every step. But the pro-Mubarak thugs are arriving in buses and are armed — and they’re using their weapons."

And, by the way…

[...] a car carrying ABC's Christiane Amanpour came under siege from protesters chanting anti-American slogans.

And let me add one more thing from this report, a bit of a side-note, as it were.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs made it clear the Obama administration wasn't dead set on continuing the [$1.5 billion annual] aid, which is granted in exchange for Egypt's recognition of an Israeli state.

I had no idea we actually simply paid the bribe outright. I’d like to see how that’s listed on the government’s accounting sheet. Who else are we paying for that favor?

Well, depending on the outcome of the protests, we may be saving ourselves $1.5 billion this year.