Are the Protests in Egypt a Sign of Something Bigger?

On Sept. 20 and 21, major cities in Egypt experienced a series of small but vehement anti-government protests. Hundreds (or, at the most, thousands) of people reportedly protested in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and El Mahalla El Kubra. Security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets before detaining as many as 2,000 demonstrators for gathering illegally (since 2013, Egypt has restricted gatherings of more than 10 people unless they have a government permit). The rallies might represent a blip of instability that Egypt's security forces and government can manage quickly and easily, but a few factors suggest that more unrest could be ahead. ...