Well said, Oto. We should bear in mind that one set of ageing autocrats replaced by a younger set of lip-service democrats (remember, Mubarak was the chairman of the National Democratic Party) - or, worse, a set of theocrats of indeterminate age - doesn �t necessarily constitute a fundamental change for the better. 

Democracy �s obviously the Western powers � favoured option, but we all know what version of �democracy � that would be.

We �ll have to wait and see what types of political, economic and social transformations take place. In the meantime, we - at least, those of us outside Egypt - can only sit, watch and squirm as the world �s governments manoeuvre to ingratiate themselves with the �new � regime.

It �s ironic that the internet highlights the immediacy of the people and events involved but also emphasises our own powerlessness. No matter how many letters of support, petitions etc, I still feel, when all is said and done, like a voyeur.

Many congratulations from Spain!

I hope it will be better for you...

CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE

FROM TUNISIA