Like an Egyptian

Well, the events in Egypt continue. Still masses of people in the streets, and a guy named El Baradei, who's a Nobel winner and apparently emblematic of political change, spoke to the crowds last night in one square. Nothing much else has changed. Just heard, too, that there have been reports that the radical, anti-US Muslim Brotherhood is trying to get close to El Baradei. Let's hope not.

It becomes apparent, however, that Mubarak isn't going to be able to maintain his control. Apparent to me, anyway. Not sure Mubarak is aware of it. And more power to the Egyptian people. It's their country. They should claim their human rights and work to establish a freer and more just government. But it seems one of the biggest problems is that Mubarak has been in control so long and so exclusively that not many other Egyptians have the experience and the skills to replace him -- to serve as a government. I don't even know if Egypt has any kind of legislature.

The US State Dept. has advised Americans in Egypt to leave and is arranging flights out. Their evacuation began today sometime.

And the price of oil and gasoline here will probably go up. The price of crude already has gone up.

Egypt doesn't produce any oil, but it's in the path of tankers and the pipeline.

And I've got to wonder, again, why the hell does the EPA and the rest of the current US regime keep this nation dependent on foreign oil? Why don't we use our own resources, which are extensive?

If we at least continued drilling in the Gulf, that would serve some of our needs while we drill in ANWR and other places within US boundaries.

We don't have to depend on the Arabs or on maniac Chavez in Venezuela for oil. But apparently we want to. We want to be emboiled in the domestic problems of other nations -- problems that really aren't our business. We like having our own lives disrupted by people like Hamas and Hizbollah or the lunatic marxists in South America -- or the rabid drug producers down there, too, for that matter.

I suppose our dependency on oil from undeveloped and unstable nations gives the State Dept. an added sense of purpose. I can't think of any other reason for extending it.

Save the Republic.