[andyt]

Exactly what I'm saying - Khomeini came in an took over. With US support. People expected to remain secular and have more freedoms, but they were in for a surprise. I guess the only diff is that at the time, the US was till way more worried about the USSR than political Islam. But I don't really see how the US can keep the Muslim Brotherhood out - they've had a long time to get organized.

[CommanderSock]

And most importantly, Egypt controls the Suez Canal. Mubarak is also a western ally and a tepid supporter of Israel (as supportive as an Arab leader can be).

[martin14]

andyt andyt:

Exactly what I'm saying - Khomeini came in an took over. With US support. People expected to remain secular and have more freedoms, but they were in for a surprise. I guess the only diff is that at the time, the US was till way more worried about the USSR than political Islam. But I don't really see how the US can keep the Muslim Brotherhood out - they've had a long time to get organized.

They can't Andy, well put that the Brotherhood has had time to get ready.

But, Egypt is not Tunisia, the Egyptian regime is much stronger.

Mubarak, Sadat and Nassar were all from the military,

it's who has support from the Generals will win.



Hopefully, the military usually doesnt like strong religon.

[Prof_Chomsky]

I'd lay a hefty sum that whatever does happen, the Suez Canal stays open. Even if soem foreign military *cough* has to go in and 'secure it', it won't be a casualty

[martin14]

Interesting... tanks and helicopters in Cairo.

Internet and mobile phone access stopped, I guess the protesters, as in Iran,
find the social media and sms really useful.


870 wounded.

No flights out of Cairo.



Ruling party headquarters ( NDP .. ) is on fire.

[EyeBrock]

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

And most importantly, Egypt controls the Suez Canal. Mubarak is also a western ally and a tepid supporter of Israel (as supportive as an Arab leader can be).

Very true Sock. There has been a lot of activity in Egypt of late too. The bombings of Christian churches, the tunnels to the West Bank/Gaza, the building of the fence between Palestinian territory and Eygpt. There have been signs that things were decaying.


Get ready for the price of oil to go up.......

[CommanderSock]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

And most importantly, Egypt controls the Suez Canal. Mubarak is also a western ally and a tepid supporter of Israel (as supportive as an Arab leader can be).

Very true Sock. There has ben a lot of activity in Egypt of late too. The bombings of Christian churches, the tunnels to the West Bank/Gaza, the building of the fence between Palestinian territory and Eygpt. There have been signs that things were decaying.


Get ready for the price of oil to go up.......

I fear Egypt's revolution will not yield good results for anyone, including the Egyptian people.

I truly hope the best for them. Hopefully it's more like the French revolution than the Russian or Iranian ones.

[raydan]

...and I'm still seeing TV ads for Egyptian tourism.

[EyeBrock]

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

CommanderSock CommanderSock:

And most importantly, Egypt controls the Suez Canal. Mubarak is also a western ally and a tepid supporter of Israel (as supportive as an Arab leader can be).

Very true Sock. There has ben a lot of activity in Egypt of late too. The bombings of Christian churches, the tunnels to the West Bank/Gaza, the building of the fence between Palestinian territory and Eygpt. There have been signs that things were decaying.


Get ready for the price of oil to go up.......

I fear Egypt's revolution will not yield good results for anyone, including the Egyptian people.

I truly hope the best for them. Hopefully it's more like the French revolution than the Russian or Iranian ones.

I agree. Any of these regimes that are tottering, as Thanos said, they are likely to be replaced by theocratic political regimes. The clock will be turned back a century or so and it's not going to be good for anybody.

[Guy_Fawkes]

Hmmmm

CTV CTV:

Egypt protests continue, defying government curfew

There were reports of several policemen in the Egyptian capital stripping their uniforms to join the ranks of protesters. An Associated Press correspondent reported seeing demonstrators cheering the defectors and hoisting them on their shoulders.

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20 ... ts-110128/

[Thanos]

Some of the bloggers are also reporting a great deal of private jet activity at the Cairo airport as the NDP (lol!) elite intiates Operation: RunAway. If it's true then it looks like the end of Mubarak and his cronies as a minimum.

There were also some reports that some of the younger Muslim protestors were asking the Coptic Christians to join in with them in a united front. This is a highly encouraging sign that the Brotherhood is not going to have an easy and unopposed path if they intend to install a hardline Islamist state.

Between Mubarak rigging the November elections initially triggering such anger and the New Year's bombing against the Copts having revealed a deep vein of anti-Islamist/pro-secular feeling running deep in Egyptian society, there is a strong possibility that something very postive might win out at the end of all this. I'm thinking more now that this could be like the revolutions that swept the Communists out of Eastern Europe instead of a precursor to the installation of an Iranian-style theocracy.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best for all the good and decent people of Egypt regardless of what happens next.

[martin14]

Mubarak made a midnight speech.......................

a massive stinking pile of BS, but.....




The government of Egypt will step down,

Mubarak will name a new government tomorrow.



Grand gesture, not sure it will work.



Should wait and see how many other buildings get torched overnight.

[BartSimpson]

Reportedly, Mubarak's kid, Gamal, has already fled the country with '97 pieces of luggage' that, no doubt, contain a fair percentage of Egypt's national wealth.

[Public_Domain]

[BartSimpson]

FOX News just reported that Mubarak has agreed to step down.