Hosni Mubarak stepped down as
president of Egypt on Friday after a
30 year rule, handing power to the
army and bowing to relentless
pressure from a popular uprising
after his military support
evaporated.
Vice President Omar Suleiman said
a military council would run the
affairs of the Arab world's most
populous nation. A free and fair
presidential election has been
promised for September after a
momentous 18 days that rocked
Egypt.
A speaker made the announcement
in Cairo's central Tahrir Square
where hundreds of thousands
broke down in tears, celebrated and
hugged each other chanting: "The
people have brought down the
regime."
Others shouted: "Allahu Akbar (God
is greatest). Sobbing women in
Tahrir (Liberation) Square ululated in
jubilation.
"This is the greatest day of my life,"
said opposition activist and Nobel
Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei,
welcoming a period of sharing of
power between the army and the
people. He told Reuters that running
for president was not on his mind.
The 82-year-old Mubarak's downfall
after unprecedented mass protests
was an historic victory for people
power and was sure to rock
autocrats throughout the Arab
world and beyond.
U.S. President Barack Obama was
informed in a meeting of Mubarak's
decision, one that changes the
course of modern Egyptian history,
and he watched television coverage
from Cairo. The White House was
to make a statement later.
Too little Too late
Egypt's powerful military gave
guarantees earlier on Friday that
promised democratic reformS
would be carried out but angry
protesters intensified an uprising
against Mubarak, marching on the
presidential palace and the state
television tower.
It was an effort by the army to
defuse the revolt but, in
disregarding protesters' key
demand for Mubarak's ouster now,
it failed to calm the turmoil that has
disrupted the economy and rattled
the volatile Middle East.
The tumult over Mubarak's refusal
to resign had tested the loyalties of
the armed forces, which had to
choose whether to protect their
supreme commander or ditch him.
The sharpening confrontation had
raised fear of uncontrolled violence
in Egypt, a linchpin U.S. ally in an
oil-rich region where the chance of
chaotic unrest spreading to other
long stable but repressive states
troubles the West.
Washington has called for a prompt
democratic transition to restore
stability in Egypt, a rare Arab state
no longer hostile to Israel, guardian
of the Suez Canal linking Europe and
Asia and a major force against
militant Islam in the region.
The army statement noted that
Mubarak had handed powers to
govern the country of 80 million
people to his deputy the previous
day -- perhaps signalling that this
should satisfy demonstrators,
reformists and opposition figures.
"This is not our demand," one
protester retorted, after relaying the
contents of the army statement to
the crowd in Tahrir Square. "We
have one demand, that Mubarak
step down." He has said he will stay
until September elections.
The Muslim brotherhood, an
Islamist opposition group, urged
protesters to keep up mass
nationwide street protests,
describing Mubarak's concessions
as a trick to stay in power.
Protests across Egypt
Hundreds of thousands of
protesters rallied across Egypt,
including in the industrial city of
Suez, earlier the scene of some of
the fiercest violence in the crisis, and
the second city of Alexandria, as
well as in Tanta and other Nile Delta
centres.
The army had said it "confirms the
lifting of the state of emergency as
soon as the current circumstances
end", a pledge that would remove a
law imposed after Mubarak became
president following Anwar Sadat's
assassination in 1981 and that
protesters say has long been used
to stifle dissent.
It further promised to guarantee free
and fair elections and other
concessions made by Mubarak to
protesters that would have been
unthinkable before January 25,
when the revolt began.
But none of this was enough for
many hundreds of thousands of
mistrustful protesters who rallied
across the Arab world's most
influential country on Friday, fed up
with high unemployment, a corrupt
elite and police repression.
Since the fall of Tunisia's long-time
leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, which
triggered protests around the
region, Egyptians have been
demonstrating in huge numbers
against rising prices, poverty,
unemployment and their
authoritarian regime.
Emergency laws
World powers had increasingly
pressured Mubarak to organise an
orderly transition of power since the
protests erupted 18 days ago,
touching off a political earthquake
that has sent shock waves around
the Middle East.
Mubarak, 82, was thrust into office
when Islamists gunned down his
predecessor Sadat at a military
parade.
The burly former air force
commander proved a far more
durable leader than anyone
imagined at the time, governing
under emergency laws. He
promoted Middle East peace abroad
and more recently backed economic
reformS at home led by his cabinet
under Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif.
But he always kept a tight lid on
political opposition.
Mubarak resisted any significant
political change even under pressure
from Washington, which has
poured billions of dollars of military
and other aid into Egypt since it
became the first Arab state to make
peace with Israel, signing a treaty in
1979.

Tunisia : Check
Egypt : Check
Yemen: Pending
Israel : Pissing in their pants

I think wish of people have prevailed, What takes him too long?

Glad there is peace in the country now.

Quote from: Perfect link=topic=10884. msg13710#msg13710 date=1297581165
I think wish of people have prevailed, What takes him too long?

me thinks as they say, power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely

Quote from: BiGxGh.Com on 2011-02-13 17:04

Quote from: Perfect link=topic=10884. msg13710#msg13710 date=1297581165
I think wish of people have prevailed, What takes him too long?

me thinks as they say, power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely

Yeh, for those who don't want to allow well enough alone.

Quote from: BiGxGh.Com on 2011-02-12 16:23
Tunisia : Check
Egypt : Check
Yemen: Pending
Israel : Pissing in their pants

I don't understand

Quote from: Holyguy on 2011-02-14 19:50

Quote from: BiGxGh.Com on 2011-02-12 16:23
Tunisia : Check
Egypt : Check
Yemen: Pending
Israel : Pissing in their pants

I don't understand

He will soon be online.