What Does the Chaos in Egypt Mean?

In case you've been living in a cave on Mars with your fingers in your ears and your hands over your eyes, the Middle East is showing indications of a possible mass revolt against the established leaders. The Tunisian government fell and there are indications that it will move towards a more democratic form of government. Lebanon's government collapsed and has been taken over by the militant terrorist group Hezbollah, which is backed by the anti-American regimes of Syria and Iran. There are indications of unrest in other pockets of the Middle East and the Egyptian government, a pro-American de facto dictatorship, looks as if it is about to fall after days of violence and protests. The problem with revolt in the Middle East is twofold. First, it drives speculation in oil and drives up the price of gas because our President won't allow anyone to drill anywhere where there is oil in the United States, though, admittedly, he's not the first. Second, and probably more important in the long term, where there is a vacuum in power, it is often the organized group that takes the place of the old government. A bunch of kids rioting in the streets don't form the next government (unless it's Barack Obama and friends). There is already speculation that the Muslim brotherhood, a pro-Al Qaeda group, has been behind the Egyptian rioting and plans to step in and take power. The Jordanian branch has already stated that all pro-American regimes in the Middle East will fall. There have been protests in Jordan, Albania and Yemen already. We face the possibility of either a Middle East which moves towards democracy or, unfortunately, the more likely possibility that the region becomes even more militant and anti-American. The times, they are a changin'.