Actually, the revolution WILL be televised

Tomorrow, one of the main components of the Egyptian revolution - the trial of former president Hosny Mubarak - will (supposedly) come to an end as a verdict is delivered live on state TV. I wasn't able to find a time, but regardless I'm willing to bet a majority of Egyptians will be glued to their televisions tomorrow waiting for the announcement. Of course, the trial has been delayed so many times at this point that nothing is for certain - but this time I have a feeling they'll stick to schedule.

The timing of the verdict hardly coincidental. A week ago, Egypt's first ever free and democratic elections were held, and the outcome was disheartening. The runoff election, scheduled for mid-June, will pit Ahmed Shafiq, a holdover from the Mubarak era and a proponent of the current military regime (SCAF), against Mohammed Morsi, a conservative Islamist from the Muslim Brotherhood. Mind you, at the outset of elections the Brotherhood had promised not to put field a candidate. In the end, they put forth not one, but two candidates - Khairat el-Shater, who was disqualified due to a recent prison term, and Morsi, who was only supposed to be a backup.

Most Egyptians I know with feel backed into a corner. Its come down to a choice between the old regime and an experiment in Islamist democracy. Those afraid of change, Egpyt's Christian Copts, and secularists may feel that Shafiq is the lesser of the two evils; revolutionaries and hardline Islamic Salafis (whose candidate was disqualified in an ironic birther controversy) may decide it's better to swallow their contempt for the Brotherhood and vote Morsi.

Interestingly, Alexandria went to a socialist candidate - Hamdeen Sabahi - and in Cairo, the very moderate ex-Brotherhood Aboul Fotouh prevailed. However, 60% of Egypt's population lives outside these two major metropolitan areas, and tend to be more conservative than their urban compatriots. See this fantastic map (linked from Arabist.net - a great site for Middle East politicking and commentary) as a visual representation - click on the governorates for a breakdown of votes.

I'm placing my money on  SCAF offering up Mubarak as the sacrificial lamb and ensuring that a guilty verdict is delivered, with a sentence of life in "prison" (don't delude yourself - he won't actually be wasting away with the rest of Egypt's political prisoners). This may soften the people's attitudes toward Shafiq for the upcoming election. SCAF knows that an majority-Islamist parliament (which already exists after this years elections), coupled with a Brotherhood president, is likely a formula for the end of their unchecked power and influence.

As an aside: On the way to work every morning, I pass by the burned-out shell of the National Democratic Party's headquarters. (NDP was Mubarak's political party). It was torched during the revolution in January 2011, and now stands as an eyesore on the Nile.

Unfortunately, the headquarters stands right next to the Egyptian Museum, which houses priceless Pharaonic artifacts which are no doubt susceptible to, say, a controlled demolition of a neighboring building. I'm wondering if thats why it has yet to be torn down..any engineers have a clue about how this could be accomplished with minimal impact on the mummies next door?