Live: Al Jazeera coverage of Egypt’s growing revolution

[23]

I believe that Egypt's army is a conscriptive one. Not a professional one like ours.

Another lesson here, perhaps.

[wallflower]

Thanks vanlose kid et.al Hard to say what's going on with the military, but clearly the crucial center of power. Reports of thumbs up by crowds.

[wallflower]

CNN reports in Alexandra army joining protesters, AlJezeera reports army and police clash in Cairo.

[vanlose kid]

5.34pm: A member of ElBaradei's group told al-Jazeera there are 80,000 people protesting in Port Said, where she said a 14-year-old had been killed.

5.27pm: The Associated Press says thousands of protesters are trying to storm the foreign ministry and state TV buildings in Cairo.

5.23pm: Brian Whittaker, a Middle East expert at the Guardian, has provided this snap analysis of Clinton's words:

It looks to me as if Clinton is angling for a negotiated departure by Mubarak, accompanied by an increase in political freedom. I think the US is aiming to structure the solution in a way that would protect its key interests: the peace treaty with Israel, the Suez canal, and co-operation against terrorism.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/201 ... #block-100

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[Jeff]

Part of my private joy this week has been seeing our supposed experts on the "Arab street" get it so wrong on the wrong side of living history. Janice Stein, for blightful instance. The protests are diminishing - It's not really about democracy - Egyptians want an improved standard of living, and sometimes an authoritarian regime can best deliver.

CNN reports in Alexandra army joining protesters, AlJezeera reports army and police clash in Cairo.

And oh yeah - Mubarak has the armed forces solidly behind him.

[hava1]

Netanyahu issues gag on all spokesmen of gov and ministers, prohibiting them to comment or speak about EGYPT...till further notice.

Appears that the former assessment was that Mubarak will handle it, NOW, assessment "not sure anymore", but probably coordinated with the USA, no special alert. no concern about peace treaty, so far, even if regime changes to the "worse scenario".

[vanlose kid]

earlier, mil left the scene in Suez after being fired on by police holed up in main station.

now they're coming back.

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[anothershamus]

Part of my private joy this week has been seeing our supposed experts on the "Arab street" get it so wrong on the wrong side of living history. Janice Stein, for blightful instance. The protests are diminishing - It's not really about democracy - Egyptians want an improved standard of living, and sometimes an authoritarian regime can best deliver.

CNN reports in Alexandra army joining protesters, AlJezeera reports army and police clash in Cairo.

And oh yeah - Mubarak has the armed forces solidly behind him.

I heard that quote earlier this week and talk about spin doctoring!

vanlose kid:
earlier, mil left the scene in Suez after being fired on by police holed up in main station.

now they're coming back.

If the military gets into it with the police that should be 'interesting'.

[vanlose kid]

...


If the military gets into it with the police that should be 'interesting'.

from earlier today:

11.14am: @gamelaid, a lawyer and executive director for the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, has tweeted that some army units in Suez are refusing to support the crackdown against the people.


The orginal tweet was in Arabic, so apologies for the translation if it is not 100% correct:

URGENT Suez: reports that some army units refused to support the police to confront the demonstrators, and the acceptance of other units, and did not intervene until now

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/20 ... s#block-22

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[vanlose kid]

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[23]

a) Egypt's military - conscriptive
b) local police - professional

A major distinction which supports the revolutionaries. It would be a different transaction if both units were professional.

Moral of the story: we need to return back to conscription.

[Nordic]

reports of clashes between mil and police in Cairo.

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And I mean that in a good way. Scrolling through this thread, I was just thinking "wouldn't it be cool if the military turned against the police?"

Okay, I'm rushing off to my faster newer computer so I can look at all this stuff!

[23]

I'm suspecting that the reason Mubarek hasn't publicly spoken yet... hours after he said that he would... is he's negotiating with the military.

Given that the military has received some positive responses from some segments of the revolutionaries.

[23]

Deleted - duplicate posts.

[Nordic]