1st century BC practices

[Ibrahim]

Mubarak's got an army (and secret police and whatnot) and isn't afraid to use it, though.
That often puts a damper on people's interest in more proactive approaches to regime changes, unless the rulers treat them seriously horribly.

that too. but judging from the past, Arabs would typically revolt, even ifthe ruler was more "merciful" than husni or bashshar al-asad. I suspect there is a cultural undercurrent of Apathy, especially as I saw some signs of it in Kuwait.