Hosni Mubarak bids farewell to Cairo

 Hosni Mubarak's Cairo

The news this morning is that Egyptian president/strongman Hosni Mubarak has abdicated power and left Cairo in deference to massive demonstrations by the Egyptian people.

Got me to thinking...

Put aside, for a moment, all the legitimate complaints of corruption and human rights abuses leveled against his government and consider (just for a moment, mind you) the person of Hosni Mubarak.

Mubarak assumed the presidency of Egypt as the result of a horrifying political catastrophe.  For 30 years, longer than most Egyptians have been alive, he has been at the top of the Byzantine Egyptian political system.  And, in spite of his heavy-handedness and corruption, I have to believe he loves, always has loved, Egypt and its people and its ancient, mysterious city, Cairo.

I wonder, how it must have been for Mubarak, at 82 years of age, to look out the window of the plane this morning as he left Cairo for the last time?  To be exiled from his home?  To be detested by his own people?

Dade Cariaga's Portland

Were I to imagine myself, some 30 years from now, exiled from Portland, from Oregon, taking with me only the contempt of my Oregon brethren...

It would be a terrible fate.  I don't think I would survive it.

What must it be like for Hosni Mubarak?