Is this the same as crossing the streams?

Clearly, that wasn’t a real flamethrower in the stands after the Algeria-Egypt match on Wednesday. But, it seems the Egyptian fires of indignation have not yet died down as Egyptians continue to protest and riot outside of the Algerian embassy in Cairo. The protests stem not from the Egyptian loss, but rather allegations that Algerian fans attacked Egyptians in the Sudan after the match.

That’s not great, but certainly not something that persons would riot about. However, these are countries that have a long-running feud/antipathy towards each other and this small issue has touched upon the underlying issues.

So, more flamethrowers are clearly in order and some choice comments to stoke the fires.

Speaking to a TV news program, Mohammed Fouad, a popular Egyptian singing star who attended the Khartoum match, called the violence afterward a “bloodbath.”

“If the Jews were beating us, even they wouldn’t have done it so savagely,” he said.

President Hosni Mubarak’s eldest son Alaa, who also attended the Khartoum match, said Egypt should “take a stance” and respond to the Algerians’ “terror, hostility.”

Alaa Mubarak — a businessman who unlike his politically prominent younger brother Gamal, rarely speaks publicly — told Egyptian television, “It is impossible that we as Egyptians take this, we have to stand up and say ‘enough.’”

“When you insult my dignity … I will beat you on the head,” he said.

It says a lot about the dislike when an Egyptian rates Jewish people more highly than other Middle Eastern people.

[Photo: Daylife]