The west should cheer, not fear, this cry for freedom in Egypt

This is an opinion item.

Author(s)	Andrew Rawnsley
Source	The Observer
Date	February 6, 2011
URL	http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/06/andrew-rawnsley-egypt-mubarak-democracy
Quote	It is in the nature of revolutions to be unpredictable [...] Having conceded that to the so-called "realists", we must then ask them a question. Are they saying that Arabs are never allowed to aspire to democracy for fear that revolution might go the (highly country, culture and time-specific) way of Iran after 1979? That is a counsel of utter despair and racist condescension which consigns millions of people to the dead end of indefinite dictatorship.

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This item argues for the position Hosni Mubarak should step down on the topic 2011 Egyptian protests.