Freedom continues to spread throughout the Middle East, as Egypt is taking a step closer to free elections for the first time since 1981.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered the constitution changed to allow multi-candidate presidential elections in September, making a surprise reversal Saturday that could mean he will face a challenger for the first time since taking power in 1981.

It was the first significant move toward political reform in decades in Egypt, a powerhouse in the Arab world that has had one-party rule for more than half a century.

For those of you keeping score, that's: Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon. Next at bat is Egypt, and on deck is probably Iran or Saudi Arabia.