Thomas L. Friedman of the New York Times is sad that the transitional government in Egypt is putting 16 American citizens on trial for promoting democracy in Egypt. David Ignatius of the Washington Post is worried that the nascent Muslim Brotherhood might stick to its principles in governing Egypt and fail to embrace moderation.

I am neither sad nor worried about the direction of the government in Egypt, which threw off the Mubarak dictatorship last year and now seems to be sliding toward an Islamist regime. Whatever happens in Egypt will happen, and the United States government must deal with it. I am, however, furious about the 16 Americans currently held hostage in Cairo, and mystified by the casual reaction to this episode in the United States.