Who are the real "barbarians"?

Even by the Chronicle's standards, today's editorial (A weak answer to barbarity---the online version of the editorial changed "barbarity" to "brutality") on Egypt is stupid, as if the US could really do anything decisive to change the policy of the Egyptian government. Canceling US military aid would not only be ineffective, but  it would be against our interests, since we rely on Egypt for intelligence on terrorism, to allow US ships through the Suez Canal, to maintain its peace treaty with Israel, and for any future settlement with Iran. Marc Ambinder itemizes these points.

Like the attacks on Christian churches shown in the video above, the editorial doesn't seem to understand what the Muslim Brotherhood represents: Islamic fascism, not democracy. The military government in Egypt---of course it was a coup---responded to widespread and well-founded fears that the Morsi government was trying to impose an Islamic dictatorship on Egypt.

Speaking of "weak" and "tame" responses to Islamic fascism, recall the Chronicle's flabby editorial during the Danish Mohammed cartoon riots.

Tank Man

Since Blogspot tells me that District 5 Diary recently had 115 visitors from mainland China, I provide them with this banned-in-China video of Tank Man.

Photo  by Jeff Widener for AP in today's NY Times