As the saying goes, don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched. The world has been watching the dramatic events in Egypt; the Mubarak regime’s attempts to cling to power have presented a riveting series of developments to maintain people’s attention.

Up to now, the story has been one of the people, in mass demonstrations and gatherings, and its struggle against the regime. But Sunday, a new set of items became “breaking news.” Mohamed ElBaradei announced that he and opposition groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, had begun discussing the kind of post-Mubarak government they want, as if the battle in the streets has already been won. Obviously, it has not.

On the one hand, seeing the protest take on a bit of coherence and direction is not a bad thing. However, opposition groups, and the Egyptian people, cannot ignore the security situation, which threatens to have long-reaching ramifications for the country.

The recent items of breaking news have also included the looting, and some chaos in the streets. A portion of these reports and incidents might be exaggerated, but something is taking place, as ordinary citizens form neighborhood committees to protect themselves, their homes and their businesses.

The world has already seen the damage that can be caused by a handful of criminals, such as those who ran riot in Egypt’s National Museum. The protestors and the people should realize that such actions erode the credibility and principles of their legitimate movement.

Earlier in the uprising, Egyptians made a noble attempt to safeguard the National Museum, by forming a human chain. The world would like to see an uprising that can achieve legitimate political goals without wrecking Egypt’s national resources, which are essential for the country’s future.

The protestors and the opposition have the right to struggle to see their freedom and sovereign will respected. They also have the responsibility to ensure that chaos and violence do not divert them from these objectives.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world should stay out of the drama that is unfolding in the land of the Nile, and avoid provoking the situation. Decades of double standards based on support for anti-democratic regimes, under the pretext of security, cannot be erased with breathless exclamations of support for “the people.”

As for the opposition, and the demonstrators, a clear political course for their cause is essential, but so is something else: ensuring that the protests and gatherings exhibit as much focus and discipline as possible.