Egypt was ruled by Farrukh King in the top fifty. However, a military coup that led to the establishment of dictatorship under Gamal Nasser A. and Farrukh fled Egypt. This man had an allergy to Israel and the Western powers, particularly England and France. It was also consumed by a desire to destroy the State of Israel and as a result had cultivated the Soviet Union. The Soviets looking for an opening in the Middle easily consented.The result was that Soviet weapons flooded Egypt. He had previously nationalized the Suez Canal and this led to an attack by British and French forces aided by Israel in 1956.
Although the Egyptian army was defeated, yet Nassar survived the storm and became a great Arab hero. But he began having dreams of grandeur megalomaniacal and has prepared for a war with Israel. He assumed that Israel would be crushed by its armed forces of Russianequipped. But a crushing defeat in 1967 broke his heart and he expired soon after.
His successor, Anwar Sadat, made peace with Israel, but he was assassinated during a parade military in 1981. Hosni Mubarak, who was Vice President, took over after Sadat and continued the policy of peace with Israel and friendship with the Western powers, especially United States. It's a pragmatic approach and Egypt had greatly benefited, but many Islamic Conservatives do not appreciate this policy. Mubarak ruled with an iron hand and also accumulated billions of dollars as his personal wealth.
However time never stops and Mubarak while in power for many decades, doesn't understand that Middle East society is in a State of turmoil. Islam is to the fore and organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood have emerged in Egypt as well. His goal to overthrow Mubarak and usher in an Islamic society. Until now were completely successful, but Mubarak by clinging to power for so long, played into the hands of Islamic militants.
So the militants could channel the aspirations of the Egyptian people with its own agenda and Mubarak remained blind to it. Egyptian society wanted a change and conservative Muslims have been able to channelize the complaints of the common man and began an agitation against Hosni Mubarak. If Mubarak had been prudent that you would have seen the storm and reacted. Just across the border was overthrown President Tunisia, and was a matter of time before Egypt was also sunk with similar upheavals.
This has happened and the Egyptian people denied democracy and fed up with some rule has rebelled. In the background the Muslim Brotherhood is approaching to establish an Islamic State. Hosni Mubarak is thus facing a choice that has a single purpose - his departure. But he is still clinging to power and there is a good chance that its sticking to power, damage Egypt long term.
It will be hard to ensure the line lasts Muslim not to seize power in this confusion as he could throw the Middle East into anarchy.