Egyptian Protests

[PepRock01]

The reports I'm hearing are that these are Mubarak's minions. I think it's a clear indication that his back is against the wall and he's trying last ditch, heavy handed tactics under the guise of "pro-government" citizens. It definitely complicates things.

 

 

I have heard that he has used that sort of tactic in the past as well.

[Zoot Soup]

This is far from over. King Abdullah of Jordan basically fired his entire government to keep the same thing happening in Amman.

[SportsGuy41017]

I have heard that he has used that sort of tactic in the past as well.

 

If this is true, and he and his people are ordering people to protest with his "minions", Then I have a few friends over in Romania he needs to talk to fast. Mostly a different situation, but Nicolae Ceausescu's down fall started in part when he ordered factory workers to come to his rally, well, most of them started heckling him, and it went on from there very quickly.

 

I do agree a transition is the best thing for Egypt, but if he is getting people to go against the protesters, it will get even uglier, and he should just get out now, before it's too late.

[SportsGuy41017]

This is far from over. King Abdullah of Jordan basically fired his entire government to keep the same thing happening in Amman.

Wonder what is in store for Iran, most of the younger people HATE their government and leaders.

[Zoot Soup]

Wonder what is in store for Iran, most of the younger people HATE their government and leaders.

 

The Iranian regime has a much tighter grasp on power. Plus, outside of Tehran, they actually enjoy pretty broad support. So you'll hear them getting restless every few years, but inevitably those protest will be put down by the baseej. Looks like Mubarak has employed a sort of baseej-lite today but to no avail. Egypt is too far gone.

[bugatti]

Reports coming in that Mubarak will be stepping down and the Vice will be taking over.

[kygirl]

Reports coming in that Mubarak will be stepping down and the Vice will be taking over.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/02/egypts-supreme-council-of-armed-forces-meeting-on-crisis/1

Update at 11:30 a.m. ET: Egyptian state TV says President Mubarak will speak to the nation this evening.

Update at 11:30 a.m. ET: USA TODAY's Oren Dorell in Cairo says the military is erecting strands of barbed wire in front of the Ministry of Information TV building, which is also surrounded by tanks.

Gamal Mohamed Sayid, 41 and an English teacher, said that if, as reported, Mubarak steps down, "All the people will cry with joy."

 

Update at 11:07 a.m. ET: CNN's John King quotes a senior

U.S. official as saying that President Mubarak has agreed to yield power to his Vice President Omar Suleiman.

The BBC quotes a senior member of Egypt's governing party as saying he "hopes" that Mubarak will transfer power to Suleiman. Hossan Badrawi, secretary general of the National Democratic Party tells the BBC that Mubarak would "most probably" speak to the nation within hours.

It remains unclear what role the military will have. The supreme council of the armed forces issued a statement saying they will stay in session indefinitely during the crisis.

[SportsGuy41017]

Well, they say today is the day! The day of a possible showdown as the people are ticked off over Mubarak's speech last night and are surrounding the presidential palace and the national TV building nerby. APC and tanks are surrounding/protecting these places, I heard that the APC's and tanks are facing outward. They fear that the people at the top of the military will give the order to start shooting.

 

Their government is telling everyone on TV and radio that the protesters are actually foreigners trying to stur up trouble. If that was fact, then how does Mubarak explain not taking action against these so-called foreigners?

 

I got two words for Mubarak, "Nicolae Ceausescu!" This is the same thing that was part of the downfall of Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania. Romanian workers were protesting in the western Romanian city of Timisoara, But Ceausescu told other that the protesters actually came across the border from Hungry. He then sent in by train, busses ect 1000's of people/workers from other cities armed with clubs to beat the protesters and send them back to Hungry. Well, when they arrived they realized that the protesters were really Romanians, and they then joined then.

 

There are some differences between the two situations, but there are also a lot of similarities.

[Hatz]

Well, they say today is the day! The day of a possible showdown as the people are ticked off over Mubarak's speech last night and are surrounding the presidential palace and the national TV building nerby. APC and tanks are surrounding/protecting these places, I heard that the APC's and tanks are facing outward. They fear that the people at the top of the military will give the order to start shooting.

 

Their government is telling everyone on TV and radio that the protesters are actually foreigners trying to stur up trouble. If that was fact, then how does Mubarak explain not taking action against these so-called foreigners?

 

I got two words for Mubarak, "Nicolae Ceausescu!" This is the same thing that was part of the downfall of Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania. Romanian workers were protesting in the western Romanian city of Timisoara, But Ceausescu told other that the protesters actually came across the border from Hungry. He then sent in by train, busses ect 1000's of people/workers from other cities armed with clubs to beat the protesters and send them back to Hungry. Well, when they arrived they realized that the protesters were really Romanians, and they then joined then.

 

There are some differences between the two situations, but there are also a lot of similarities.

 

That's a blast from the past I had not heard in a long time.

 

Probably a good comparison for the "worse case scenario" (at least for Mubarak). Not sure Mubarak is as horrific a despot though.

 

Very volitile right now indeed.

[SportsGuy41017]

That's a blast from the past I had not heard in a long time.

 

Probably a good comparison for the "worse case scenario" (at least for Mubarak). Not sure Mubarak is as horrific a despot though.

 

Very volitile right now indeed.

The biggest difference is that Ceausecu actually thought the public loved him, almost up until the very end. I don't think Mubarak thinks that though.

[cammando]

.. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ml_egypt