I Was 20 When My Wife Was Born

Gamal Mubarak married is 24-year-old fiance yesterday. He's 44 and at the ripe, old age of "becoming the next president of Egypt." The only stipulation, according to the Egyptian Constitution, was that a president must have a wife. Hence the marriage.

He has said he doesn't want to become president, but I don't think anyone believes him. To show this disbelief, protesters planned to stage a fake wedding ceremony about a block away from my house. One thing you learn quite quickly in Egypt is that wherever there is a planned protest, an exorbitant display of force is not far away.

I caught site of this display yesterday on my walk home. First, there were troop trucks on every street (filled with idle troops). Policemen were stationed on every street, directing traffic. Barricades were setup. But best of all were the plain-clothes thuggies. These boys, who look like they know the gym better than their own mothers, were placed in sections at every corner of the circular roundabout. Each "section" was six men wide and three men deep. Their job was to stand there, look menacing, and pound some protesters if things get out of hand.

I don't think anything happened, but seeing that excessive display of force makes you wonder how paranoid Mr. Mubarak is of a revolution.