This is how low and stupid Arab regimes are:

Earlier this week, the Algerian national soccer [football] team traveled to Cairo for the World Cup qualifying match. Upon arrival, the bus transporting the team was attacked by Egyptian hooligans whom injured several Algerians fans and players. To add insult to injury, the Egyptian security forces and media dismissed the attack on Algerians in spirit of ultra and chauvinistic nationalism. Egypt won the Cairo game which only extended qualification to another match to be held on neutral territory in Sudan, if Egypt were to win again it would qualify [its first since 1990] but if Algeria wins it would instead head to South Africa 2010 [its first games since 1986].

Alas for Egypt, Algeria won 1-0 in a first half goal. The Egyptian government had been looking forward to a victory and even sent the president’s son - and aspiring president himself - to attend. This is the era of ultra-nationalist Arab sports. Arab governments often champion sports as a superficial reflection of national “glory.” Arabs live under authoritarian and incompetent regimes alongside stagnant economies with high unemployment, Arab regimes would rather their people be distracted by sports. Thus instead of being games that enlighten the national mood, they turn into fanatical competition between nations. . . Arab nations.

The sight of Arab infighting is a direct result of the efforts of Arab nations to do two things: 1) instead of championing pan-Arabism they champion narrow Arab nation-state nationalism that divided, and weakens, Arabs. 2) political manipulation of sports.

It is not surprising that Algerians and Egyptians resorted to thuggery. Egyptians provoked, but Algerians are also quality of attacks against Egyptians and Egyptian property. The offices of the Egyptian airliner in Algiers, for example, was burnt down.

Street hooliganism is one thing, but the Egyptian government’s involvement is a testament to just how rotten the state of Arab governments are. Not only did the Mubraka dictatorship cheer on ultra-Egyptian nationalist sentiment and demonstrate indifferent to injured Algerians, but now the “vache qui rit” has ushered an official diplomatic spat with Algeria:

Egypt has recalled its ambassador to Algeria after World Cup qualifying football matches between the two countries resulted in a number of outbreaks of violence.

Cairo called the ambassador back home on Thursday for “consultations” after earlier summoning the Algerian ambassador to express “extreme displeasure” at attacks on Egyptian fans.

The statement is quailing. First, the attacks cited by Egypt all took place after the match in. . . Sudan. It is the Sudanese police who should be criticized for the attacks not the Algerian authority back in. . . Algeria. Second, the attacks even in the words of Egyptian authorities were all light injures as opposed to the thuggery of Egyptians against Algerians: An Algerian soccer player

And, finally, Egypt is offended by some street fighting but not by the stoning of the Algerian bus or by Israel’s killing of hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza. Spare me.

Egypt is just bitter over yesterday’s loss [November 18], and is trying to save face by “punishing” Algeria - which is not responsible for its citizens outside its borders - by withdrawing its representative. The fact that it would withdraw its ambassador for events in Sudan reflects how vulgar, arrogant, myopic and desperate the Egyptian regime is for respect. This is how petty Arab regimes are and how they seek to placate their people’s frustration not through freedom or opportunity, but by further undermining the region and stroking grotesque nationalism.

I am glad Egypt lost. The regime would have thrown an obnoxious parade had they won, Egyptian behavior earned their lose, and, finally, Egypt cheered the fact that Tunisia was recently disqualified. Enjoy your lose!

When will the Arabs awake from this cruel world and bring about the renaissance of decency?