Egypt needs Mubarak for the sake of democracy

The intensity and the extent of popular anger against the tyranny and incompetency of Hosni Mubarak’s regime in Egypt have undoubtedly taken the whole world by surprise. The U.S. government has been sending mixed messages to its close ally and its angry population alike. With rhetoric swinging between realism and idealism, the Obama administration has expressed willingness to help the regime implement necessary reforms, urged all parties to refrain from violence, and acknowledged the “universal” rights of the people.