the situation in Cairo

Or at least what I saw of it while travelling tonight from the airport to Zamalek… Some of the most chaotic traffic jams I’ve ever seen here, and that’s saying something.

The reason is interesting– very long lines at gas stations, so long (3 hours or more of waiting time) that even the fastest-moving streets are choked with them. We had our windows own in the warm weather, and I don’t remember hearing so much shouting and swearing.

My driver blamed it all on Moris, and was furious about the situation. That’s just an anecdote about one driver, but I’ve heard the same blame pinned on the President from others recently.

June 30 (the first anniversary of Morsi’s election) is a day set for mass protests in Egypt. The American University will be closed that day; it’s a Sunday, yes, but that’s a work day in Egypt where Friday/Saturday is the weekend.

The protestors claim to have more than enough signatures on petitions to force Morsi out. Let’s see what happens. There will be counter-demonstrations by the Brotherhood as well, and I can’t guess what will happen, except that some violence may enter the picture.

[ADDENDUM: An Egyptian friend on Facebook just echoed what my driver said, which is that the gas shortages are a deliberate and artificial measure by the government to hinder the upcoming demonstrations. Maybe. But if so, it seems like a flawed strategy. If people are angry over the incompetence of the current government –and I think they have reason to be– then why offer them additional proof of their accusation in a way that makes daily life miserable? It seems to me that it will just make people even angrier and increase the growing neo-revolutionary mood. My driver was actually hoping aloud that Mubarak will return to power, for crying out loud.]