Egypt Revolution 2011
What’s Going On In Egypt?: Protests started on Tuesday, January 25, when — inspired by the successful revolution in Tunisia — thousands began taking to the streets to protest poverty, rampant unemployment, government corruption and autocratic governance of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 30 years. These were the first protests on such a large scale in Egypt since the 1970s.
Why Egypt Matters: Why is the story gaining traction? There are a number of factors that make Egypt’s unrest important, in that country, the Middle East, and the world.
What it’s being called: The Egyptian revolution is also referred to as the Egyptian Protests, Days of Rage, the Papyrus Revolution and the Lotus Revolution.
Quick Facts about Egypt: Established in 3100 B.C., Egypt today has a population of approximately 79 million. Its people speak Arabic and 99% are Egyptian. The country staged its first modern revolution in 1919 and established independence in 1922. Continued instability due to remaining British influence led to a second revolution in 1952 and the creation of the Egyptian Republic in 1953.

Egypt has been a key ally for the U.S. in the region since the 1970’s, and is currently the second highest recipient of U.S. foreign aid (after Israel). The Obama administration — from Joe Biden, who refused to call Mubarak a dictator, to Obama himself, who emphasized Egypt’s role as an ally — has been loathe to fully distancing itself from Mubarak, and finds itself in a difficult position, reports the Atlantic. By Huffingtonpost
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