Live: Al Jazeera coverage of Egypt’s growing revolution

[crikkett]

Most of my neighbors, however, are more interested in the Super Bowl this Sunday. Ripe fodder for an engulfing contagion.

OMG that's this weekend? #egypt

[Peachtree Pam]

Egypt President Mubarak to address nation Tuesday: reports


http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/02/egyp ... ay-report/

Unconfirmed reports suggest Mubarak will not seek reelection -- at Obama's urging

Egypt President Mubarak to address nation Tuesday: reportsEmbattled Egypt President Hosni Mubarak was expected to address the nation Tuesday night, according to published reports filed amid the largest protests the country had ever seen.

Over 2 million people took to the streets of Cairo Tuesday, with yet more in Suez and Alexandria, unified behind a call for the president's resignation.

Arabic news agency Al Arabiya said Tuesday that the president would announce his intent to resign, but the report was unconfirmed and the channel did not provide a source.

The New York Times also noted, citing US diplomatic sources, that President Barack Obama had urged Mubarak to not seek reelection.

In previous days amid a growing and mostly peaceful revolt, Mubarak dissolved his cabinet and pledged greater democratic reforms. However, that did not prove to be enough for the protesters, and Tuesday's "March of Millions" put even further pressure on his regime.

Mubarak, a key US and Israeli ally, has been in power for 31 years.

Former US President Jimmy Carter, who once brokered a peace accord between Egypt and Israel, suggested recently that the Egyptian people "have spoken," meaning Mubarak "will have to leave."

Carter's sentiment was echoed Tuesday by US Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and former Massachusetts Republican Governor Mitt Romney, both of whom called for Mubarak's resignation.

The Obama administration has remained remarkably reticent on the issue, affirming its support for democratic reforms but stopping far short of calling for the resignation of Mubarak, who has been a reliable US ally during his thirty-year reign.

While Vice President Joe Biden said last week that Mubarak was "not a dictator" and should not resign, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs has repeatedly dodged the question of whether Mubarak retains President Obama's support.

For its part, Israel has expressed outrage over Obama's hesitance to outwardly support Mubarak, suggesting US politicians are following popular opinion as opposed to their "genuine interests."

It remains unclear who would lead Egypt if Mubarak's regime were to fall, and how friendly the new president would be to the West.

The death toll in the unrest that sprung last Tuesday crossed 100 over the weekend, according to media reports.

[MacCruiskeen]

Many people said it was not enough just for Mr Mubarak to go. The whole regime must change.

"We will not accept any military men any more," Hani Kedri told me.

"The military has controlled this country since 1952. Enough!"

In other words the protesters will not accept a take-over by the new Vice President of Egypt Omar Suleiman, or any of the other senior military elite.

Nor are many I spoke to keen on Mohamed ElBaradei, the former International Atomic Energy Agency chief, and the man many in the West would like to see take over.

"We do not support ElBaradei," another man told me.

"We have made these events ourselves. We own this. We will choose our own leaders ourselves, not have them imposed on us by others."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

[tazmic]

The revolutionaries in Egypt are shedding a positive light on the oft maligned term of anarchism. By effectively evidencing what decentralized self-management looks like, a core component of anarchism.

Exactly, exactly! Like that one character said on Democracy Now, the volunteer traffic directors are better at it than anyone else! I give anarchists a hard time but it's really just tough love.

And that's the irony of it: The police went undercover to make the people look like 'anarchists'. The people self organised to defend against it.

The powers that be are currently tipping their collective hand big time.

[Simulist]

Many people said it was not enough just for Mr Mubarak to go. The whole regime must change.

"We will not accept any military men any more," Hani Kedri told me.

"The military has controlled this country since 1952. Enough!"

In other words the protesters will not accept a take-over by the new Vice President of Egypt Omar Suleiman, or any of the other senior military elite.

Nor are many I spoke to keen on Mohamed ElBaradei, the former International Atomic Energy Agency chief, and the man many in the West would like to see take over.

"We do not support ElBaradei," another man told me.

"We have made these events ourselves. We own this. We will choose our own leaders ourselves, not have them imposed on us by others."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

Good. The military shouldn't be holding the leash, it should be on one.

[MacCruiskeen]

that's the irony of it: The police went undercover to make the people look like 'anarchists'.

False Flag Terror. Of course it couldn't happen here.

The people self organised to defend against it.

...and our powerworshipping media describe that inspiring and courageous self-organisation as "chaos" (on the BBC just one minute ago!), while our Leaders worry about "stability" and "an orderly transition" to a new Egyptian fucking Leader.

The powers that be are currently tipping their collective hand big time.

Yup. Masks falling everywhere. The British, US and Israeli "elites" are utterly discredited. The bastards know no shame.

They have to go next. And Nafeez Ahmed is right.

On Edit: Mubarak now on TV. He too is blabbing on about "chaos" and "an orderly transition". Meanwhile, the BBC reports:

#
2048: The BBC's Magdi Abdelhadi, outside the presidential residence in the Cairo suburb of Heliopolis, says: "Nationalist songs are being broadcast on state radio, interspersed with communiques. One has just announced that a group of subversive elements trying to come between the Egyptian people and their armed forces have been arrested. The songs and communiques are a reminder of 1960s and 1970s, when Egypt was still at war with Israel. The regime is clearly trying to whip up nationalist sentiment in an effort to convince the public that foreigners are plotting against Egypt. To our right, traffic slows, as a crane lowers massive blocks in front of Hosni Mubarak's residence. It is this part of Cairo that the protesters in Tahrir Square are planning to march to demand that the president step down."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

ha ha ha

[barracuda]

Mubarak ain't going quietly. He just spent ten minutes telling everybody what a good guy he is.

[tazmic]

And the police will hunt down the looters??? In his last two months?

[MacCruiskeen]

The police will hunt down themselves. We have the Leader's word for it.

[MacCruiskeen]

bbc live updates

#
2112: Mr Mubarak says the demonstrations have turned from a civilised act to a violent one "controlled by political powers that have poured oil onto the fire". "We have been living very painful days together," he says. "The events of the past few days require us all - people and leaders - to make the choice between chaos and
stability, and dictate new conditions and a new Egyptian reality."

Cant, cant, cant. Count the weasel words. What shameless, sanctimonious bullshit. He must have the same speechwriter as Obama.

#
2114: The president concludes his address by saying he intends to die in Egypt.

I'm sure millions will be prepared to help him, tonight if necessary.

#
2118: The tens of thousands of people in Tahrir Square respond to Mr Mubarak's announcement by shouting "Get out!" in unison.

There's a lesson for us all there.

[DoYouEverWonder]

The revolutionaries in Egypt are shedding a positive light on the oft maligned term of anarchism. By effectively evidencing what decentralized self-management looks like, a core component of anarchism.

Exactly, exactly! Like that one character said on Democracy Now, the volunteer traffic directors are better at it than anyone else! I give anarchists a hard time but it's really just tough love.

And that's the irony of it: The police went undercover to make the people look like 'anarchists'. The people self organised to defend against it.

The powers that be are currently tipping their collective hand big time.

That gives me hope. It's time to put the world's brats and bullies in their places.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2114: The president concludes his address by saying he intends to die in Egypt.

I'm sure millions will be prepared to help him, tonight if necessary.

As they say, Mubarak - be careful what you wish for.

The only transition he should be planning is how to get his ass from his palace to the closest airport, without getting killed between here and there.

[barracuda]

This was another speech dictated by the State Department. There's no acceptable Imperial Stooge to take his place right now, so Wisner was sent to tell him to stay and attempt to diffuse the protests with b.s. and threats until he can hand off to the CIA-VP.

[beeline]

.

All the old paintings on the tombs
They do the sand dance don't you know
If they move too quick (oh whey oh)
They're falling down like a domino

[Joe Hillshoist]

It is a joy to behold, not least because it's come so suddenly and unexpectedly. But sooner or later those demonstrators are going to have to decide how far they will go to eject, not just Mubarak, but the whole pack. It remains to be seen what chance they will have - what chance they will be "allowed" - to institute real (rather than cosmetic) political reforms and achieve real justice, i.e. socialism.

I've been thinking about how I hate being an armchair revolutionary, but also how it seems the time to take the national broadcaster and Interior Ministry.

You aren't the only one mate.