I will never trust them again...

I think one of the most troubling aspects of this article in today's Washington Post, entitled, Egypt Shuts Door on Dissent As U.S. Officials Back Away is this:

"The Americans now prefer stability over democracy," said George Ishaq, a demoralized opposition leader.

He fell silent, then narrowed his eyes. "I will never trust them again."

Once we make the decision to meddle into the affairs of other nations and inspire hope as well as make promises, how can we expect those like Ishaq to feel any differently?

Especially when this has not been hidden:

In the second round, the government's security forces stepped in with a show of raw power so brazen that officials, speaking privately, don't even deny the tampering. Paramilitary men clad in black, with truncheons and helmets, blocked people from voting. Elsewhere, with method that suggested specific orders, hired thugs wielding machetes and knives chased voters away from polling stations as police idly watched.

When crowds grew angry, security forces responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition. In video footage shot by election monitors, protesters clutched onions, hoping to fend off the searing fumes of the gas. "Give us our rights!" they are heard shouting.

It's a long article, but I really recommend reading it...