Where's the tank?

“What is a tank?” The girls asked me as we discussed the events in Egypt. They didn’t know “coup” “revolution” or “curfew” either.

Wow. I knew all those words all too well by their age. There were several coups while we lived in Afghanistan and of course, the build-up to the soviet invasion which happened a few months after we left. The scenes of protest in Egypt look very familiar.

A few years after we left Afghanistan, when I was 10, my mom and I hiked up a hill to see a tank in Pakistan. We got to the top and I looked all around. I saw no tanks. Only a large pool full of water. “Where’s the tank?” I asked. That’s when Mom explained to me that there is more than one definition of tank.

When I told that story to Katrina, she said, “I only know the kind of tank with water.” And I’m glad that’s the only definition she knows.

I’ve always been reluctant to discuss news with the girls. Of course we tell them about events, but I want to protect them from all the horrible truths and the complicated issues. But over the last few days as we’ve had discussions about democracy, monarchy, dictatorships, revolutions and coups, I have come to realize that they are fascinated and they understand quite a bit. And I can still filter the news to them!

These events are close to us here. For one, we know several people who have lived in Egypt and two of the kids in the girls’ school just moved to Cairo. Protests in Algeria, a completely surprise revolution in Tunisia, an attempt at a revolution happening as I write in Egypt, protest in Yemen - the Arab world is angry. Angry at their leaders for being in power for 30+ years. Angry for not benefiting from oil money or aid. Angry about the treatment of the people.

It is interesting to note that most of countries in the Arab world are run by autocrats - including Morocco, run by one man, the king. I’m sure Morocco is nervous as events continue to unfold in North Africa. But we feel very little anger here. People are upset about food prices going up, but in general we hear a lot of support for the king - who is backed by a very strong military. It helps greatly that the king is a descendent of their prophet, Mohammad.

And there is always the fear througout the Arab world that after the revolution people desire, Islamists will come into power. It is partly this fear that has kept these autocrats in power. Better what the people know than something far worse.

Even though we feel very safe here, we live in the Arab world. And these events are happening just a few countries away. Will this be like Tiananmen Square (incredible that China has managed to block all news about Egypt to the Chinese) - or the Berlin Wall - or something else? We wait and we pray.