Last Byline in Cairo

"Wednesday's Washington Post editorial decries yet another setback for the Arab press.

Even in the best of times (whenever those may have been), the Arab press has fallen short of fulfilling the basic institutional function of identifying social, political other problems so that they can be debated and corrected. Instead, the press in the Middle East has usually played the role of excuse-maker, and defender of the state leadership. Things had begun to change in Egypt, where a critical press was developing. But as the Post's editors note, President Hosni Mubarak -- with tacit approval from the U.S. -- has cracked down on that independent press. That Mubarak has jailed journalists is certainly infuriating, but I wish it were more
surprising."
IraqiPundit