By Ahmed Mahmoud / [email protected] / 03.05.2010

Updated on: 03.04.10 at 10:06 pm

Democracy is on the minds of many in the Middle East. There are many reasons why the people of Egypt are awaiting their “change” as the biggest political threat to Hosni Mubarak in decades is gaining popularity.

Media outlets from Internet to television are scurrying to capture the moment. Citizens are questioning and challenging the hegemony of their leaders. Truly, this is a new era for the youth of the Middle East and the ripples have reached the shores of the United States.

There is a sense of excitement as Mohamed ElBaradei’s plane touches down in Egypt. ElBaradei was born in Cairo, where he became a lawyer. He left Egypt and for 12 years was the International Atomic Energy Agency chief and a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

The spotlight was on ElBaradi when the U.S. was in the planning stages to invade Iraq. He stated that Iraq had not reinstated its nuclear program. During the standoff between Iran and the U.S., he tried to find a resolution between the two nations. Both situations left ElBaradei in disfavor with the Bush Administration, who unsuccessfully tried to block his reappointment when his term expired in 2005.

For many, ElBaradei is the candidate that has the best chance against Mubarak, the leader of Egypt for the last 29 years. Mubarak, who came to power after Anwar Sadat’s assassination, continued close ties with Israel and ruthlessly cracked down on the Muslim Brotherhood. Mubarak has been criticized routinely for jailing opponents of the government and intimidating any opposition in the presidential elections—the reason he has been in power for so long.

Egypt, once a secular society, has descended the slippery slope towards Islamofascism. In 2005, the Muslim Brotherhood’s resounding victory in the parliamentary elections captured one-fifth of the seats. Even while walking the streets of Egypt, one can see a significant number of women that now wear a niqab (an all black garment, where only the eyes show), as opposed to the hijab (a scarf, which covers only the hair). This is only a harbinger of things to come.

ElBaradei’s run for the presidency represents a time of change in Egypt. The U.S. considers Egypt not only an ally, but a stable nation among many troubled nations.

Here is an opportunity for a renowned and worldly candidate to take charge and propel the country into the 21st Century. The U.S. must stand behind ElBaradei and his views, for they are very similar to much of what President Barack Obama ran for in the last election.

The window opportunity is small and the U.S. cannot afford to miss it.