COMMENT Eighteen days of disciplined and peaceful protests by millions of Egyptians have forced one of the West's favourite tyrants in the Middle East to resign, 30 years after assuming power.

Suddenly, Feb 11 is regarded the unlucky date for tyrants. Jubilation and widespread celebrations in Egypt that day were a repetition of what took place in Iran exactly 32 years ago, when the Shah dictator-monarchy finally collapsed, to give way to the establishment of the first civilian government there in 1,000 years.