The Rise and Fall of Mubarak in Egypt Is a Cautionary Tale for Sisi

Francisco Serrano 

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When I landed in Cairo in late January 2011 to cover the growing wave of demonstrations that had mobilized Egyptians, I was unsure whether or not the protest movement could topple then-President Hosni Mubarak. After all, he had been ruling for almost three decades, enjoyed Western backing and commanded a robust security apparatus.

But as I drove through downtown Cairo from the airport, I saw the headquarters of Mubarak’s National Democratic Party in flames. It was difficult to see at the time just how much that burning building would come to symbolize about post-Mubarak Egypt. In the end, it took 18 days and the will of millions of Egyptians—hundreds of whom sacrificed their lives—to oust the country’s longest-serving modern ruler. ...