[paypaltoegold1]

Egypt's dictator will step down today. who's next? won't get fooled again?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41506482...deastn_africa/

[JJoon077]

Egypt's dictator will step down today. who's next? won't get fooled again?

I just read the article on MSNBC. This can go two ways:

1. The country will become a military dictatorship as it is already very vulnerable to it right now. In this case, it will not be long before they ignite a war with Israel.

2. The country becomes the new standard for the middle east that finds relatively peaceful ways to bring positive change to the region and in the process, trivialize these terrorist factions making them more of a nuisance than a threat.

On a side note, I wonder if all of these uprisings were, in part, due to CIA activities in the region. It is not a far fetched idea. I just know that all of these protests going on in the region are either going to lead to a more moderate Islamic ideology or some of these tyrannical regimes will be forced to rear their ugly head in Tienanmen Square style responses to these lowly peasants having the audacity to question their supreme leadership.

[tobia]

I just read the article on MSNBC. This can go two ways:

1. The country will become a military dictatorship as it is already very vulnerable to it right now. In this case, it will not be long before they ignite a war with Israel.

2. The country becomes the new standard for the middle east that finds relatively peaceful ways to bring positive change to the region and in the process, trivialize these terrorist factions making them more of a nuisance than a threat.

On a side note, I wonder if all of these uprisings were, in part, due to CIA activities in the region. It is not a far fetched idea. I just know that all of these protests going on in the region are either going to lead to a more moderate Islamic ideology or some of these tyrannical regimes will be forced to rear their ugly head in Tienanmen Square style responses to these lowly peasants having the audacity to question their supreme leadership.

Yes, I agree with your assessment.
I want to believe that the more moderate Islamic ideology will prevail. . .But, there is no guarantee!

[paypaltoegold1]

I just read the article on MSNBC. This can go two ways:

1. The country will become a military dictatorship as it is already very vulnerable to it right now. In this case, it will not be long before they ignite a war with Israel.

2. The country becomes the new standard for the middle east that finds relatively peaceful ways to bring positive change to the region and in the process, trivialize these terrorist factions making them more of a nuisance than a threat.

On a side note, I wonder if all of these uprisings were, in part, due to CIA activities in the region. It is not a far fetched idea. I just know that all of these protests going on in the region are either going to lead to a more moderate Islamic ideology or some of these tyrannical regimes will be forced to rear their ugly head in Tienanmen Square style responses to these lowly peasants having the audacity to question their supreme leadership.

It mentions that VP may take over, in that case I think it would be a total insult to protesters: I would be furious, but im curious how the media will play it out, they may video tape the cheering crowds who do not know who is taking over and use it accross the world to create an image that everyone's is happy and it is time to go home. then snap out of it and realise "oh crap"

1. why would they want to attack Israel?

[gydrorway]

How awesome is this!
Watch the images from Cairo live and you will see just people celebrating...
There is no reasonable way anyone can tell what will happen.
The fact that something remotely similar happened in Iran (a country with a different ethnic, culture, religion,...) in a totally different time and global situation 40 years ago is absolutly no reason to say Egypt would go the same way.
When in doubt, hope for the best and see what happens!

1. The country will become a military dictatorship as it is already very vulnerable to it right now. In this case, it will not be long before they ignite a war with Israel.

What do you think Egypt is right now? A "Republic" ruled under emergency law by a bunch of gernerals is a military dictatorship.
The fact that the military leadership has a certain independence and the "President" can't controll it completly, doesn't change that totally.

[paypaltoegold1]

How awesome is this!
Watch the images from Cairo live and you will see just people celebrating...

I think it will be totaly awesome if after all their celebations when people disperse and go home it would be announced that his wife or vp took over

[iH1wMOhE]

Suleiman is basically the same as Mubarak. My personal prediction is that an election will be held soon, and ElBaradei will be elected president.

Suleiman's time as president will be very short-lived.

[ffflyer]

Looking good.

YouTube - AlJazeeraEnglish???

[rockboyzaza]

lets hope, they hold elections, and a nice sane person get the job.

[bitymnmictada]

Over the past 30 years American foreign aid to Egypt has gone for military training. A lot of that training has been with US troops. When this uprising began the Egyptian high command was in fact at the Pentagon planning more combined training exercises.

It is my sincerest hope that the Egyptian military has watched how the US military is in fact powerful, yet willingly accepts civilian leadership.

Wouldn't that be a mind blower, eh?

Also, aren't we glad that that was our foreign aid developing the military's minds and not China's?

(hint, hint, to the Republicans who are preparing to slash our foreign aid budget.)

[Tactattcahhaw]

The military has the respect of the people, so we can respect the cooperation of the people in that case, so long as progress is made towards elections.

So long as the military maintains the policy of keeping the Muslim Brotherhood under wraps, this may have a positive outcome.

[gydrorway]

The military could be doing the same as in Turkey.
The notion that US military aid to a dictatorship has had a major influence on this result is abit far fetched. The same aid hasn't had any moderating effect in many other partners of the US/West... so it's more likly that this is due to the mentality and culture of the very civil society of egypt.

Just saw that official Egyptian TV is now showing the protests / celebrations at Freedom Square. It seems to be really moving now.

[mikapoq]

I'd read, on Al Jazeera this morning that the military had stepped in, and they might just be the best to take over. If, and a big if, they step down as soon as an election can be held. It might be the Muslim Brotherhood that would win such an election, but it is one of the peaceful Muslim groups, so it might evolve to be a lot like Turkey.

As Dick says, it is good that we were the ones working with their military, instead of China or Russia, as they might be more willing to allow a civilian head of government that is selected by a vote of the people. Regardless, this is can, and might be, a move toward a more democratic Mid=East region.

[gydrorway]

For a dude that claims to be the only force of order preventing Egypt from falling into Chaos Mubarak is really not very punctual... he was due to speak 25 min ago

[acissombiapse]

There sure seems to be a good bit of conflicting reporting going on about what Mubarak is actually going to say and do. The longer we wait for him to speak the more I question what he will say next.

[Enalsebeerkawl]

If Mubarak steps down,, that may well be good for the people(John Lennon singing--

"They say I'm a dreamer, But I'm not the only One,, Some day....."

But if Omar Suleiman takes over,, Mubarak will remain in the back room,

and Omar was leader of "The Gastapo", torture being his speciality(makes George W Bush look like Mother Terrisa)

Mubarak, speaking now(all BS thus far),, looks amazingly similar to Lucifer.

I am waiting for him to break out into John Lennon's song, "Imagine"

[comprar-espana]

And he won't step down.

Consequences ?

[acissombiapse]

And he won't step down.

Consequences ?

Talk about another "not so fast moment." I would assume this will just anger the people even more and perhaps take us even closer to actual civil war. I mean, I do not see very much positive with this speech that will in anyway satisfy his opposition. There is no way the people are leaving that square at this point, just no reason to back down now.

[RokgroofeTeme]

There are regimes based on a certain ideology, like communism or naziism and there are autocratic regimes that are essentially ideology-free as well. Mubaraks is one example. While regimes anchored on a certain ideological base usually collapse if the contradiction between reality and propaganda becomes too obvious, like Eastern Germany 1989, the other kind of dictators base their rule on a fragile balance between the relevant forces in their country. In Mubaraks case that is the military, the gigantic "security" apparatus, and certain parts of egyptian business elites. Regarding the public many such regimes can be quite stable as long as they ensure that at least some wealth is beeing shared, that people have jobs and perspectives and some feeling of economic security. In return at least parts of the public may tolerate a certain degree of oppression. Regarding Egypt that balance has been destroyed by the regimes endemic corruption and greed among other factors that only left the oppression machine but not the jobs. And therefore the egyptian public is unlikely to be satisfied by only the head ( Mubarak) beeing removed.

[Enalsebeerkawl]

Mubarak said he will be giving up some of his powers to the evil(my word) Suleiman.

Looks like Mubarak is "heading" for a hanging,, if he keeps hanging around.