Internet is shut down in Egypt while protests threaten the government (video)

This weekend could be pivotal in determining the future of not only Egypt but the entire Middle East region. The successful revolution in Tunisia has inspired a large part of the population in Egypt to demand reforms, leading to large scale protests and clashes with security forces.  Some analysts believe there is real possibility of the government being toppled in the next few days.

For over thirty years the country of Egypt has been effectively ruled by one man named Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak has been able to pacify the population over most of his time in power and ruthlessly stomp out any resistance the few times it has popped up.  Many believe this instance is different, as a large part of the Egyptian population is upset with a high rate of poverty, oppressive government, and rising food prices. The video to the left (warning, graphic) shows just how serious the situation has become.

The center of the protests is said to be in Suez, a town east of Egypt's capitol of Cairo. The protesters have been met with tear gas, high-pressure water hoses, and even gunshots, as the video shows. In the past Mubarak has been able to quell these kind of uprisings with a mix of security force brutality and mass detentions. However, social networking is spreading the revolutionary message to a larger population than ever before. Twitter, Facebook, and blogs have served as a means of communication for the protesters.

In response to the effectiveness of the Internet for protesters, the government of Egypt has reportedly tried to shut the Internet down within the country. Every Egyptian Internet service provider has been shut down, though it is unclear how long the country can maintain that policy, as banks and other vital institutions rely on the Internet to do business.

What is also not clear is what will happen if the Egyptian government falls. For all the faults of its dictatorship, the country is credited with being a source of stability in the region. The United States gives about $1.3 billion in aid to the country, which ranks second only to Israel in the region. Egypt has signed a peace accord with Israel that has prevented a large-scale Arab war for many decades. The authoritarian government in Egypt has cracked down on terrorists within the country, including a group called the Muslim Brotherhood which has at least some connections with al-Queda. The Obama administration has encouraged Mubarak to allow for more democratic reforms, but in all honesty more freedom in the country may also allow for a growing influence of terrorist groups. There is no clear leader to take over in the place of Mubarak.

The fall of Egypt may also have a ripple effect on much of the Middle East. There are already similar protests occurring in Yemen, where a strong al-Queda influence exists. The Yemeni government has worked with the United States to help capture a number of key al-Queda operatives and foil a number of terrorist plots. The spread of revolution may spread democratic ideals in the region, which would certainly be a positive. However, there is also a very real danger that the negative aspects of revolution may come about as well. For example, the overthrow of the dictatorship in Afghanistan in the 1980s helped usher the Taliban into power in that country.