Comments

1. Ann Olivier 02/10/2011 - 4:45 pm  subscriber

   One sure thing — the CIA doesn’t seem to know what it doesn’t know. It said that Mubarak was likely to step down. Fox News just claimed that somebody at the CIA said that the Brotherhood is a secular organization. Is it possible the CIA thinks that??

   Also sure: Mubarak’s promise to punish the evil doers severely was terribly sinister. I predict he’ll look for scape goats, mainly the Muslim Brotherhood. He was pretty consistent in talking positively about “the young people”. whoever he thinks they are.

2. Bob Nunz 02/11/2011 - 11:22 am

   If Mubarak has left Cairo, and our ties with the military are still strong, is this another step in the process of change.
   (Footnote: I was dismayed by Donald Trump’s announcemen the wanted to run for President =- at the conservative PAC dinner/conference – so he could help restore our place in the world. I wondered what he thinks he knows about the Midle East and the dynamics there,)

3. ed gleason 02/11/2011 - 12:20 pm

   Mubarak is gone. The next step is for the Egyptians to have democratic initiatives ready to fill the void. Is it not a great thing that not once has the spectra of a Marxist takeover been mentioned by anyone in the media? When the anti communist mania in the USA got us the reinstate the Shah in Iran we and the Iranians reaped 40 years of misery. The right no longer have the Commie bogyman so now they will now use the Muslim Brotherhood to try and scare up some reactionary intervention. Glenn Beck et al will try using the Caliphate. Those ten horses and 3 camels charging into the crowd must have really frightened the ‘right’. Boo

4. Bob Nunz 02/11/2011 - 12:51 pm

   Mubarak has given power to “a military council.”
   Still unclear, but, I thin kwe we hav ea good relationship with the military there and at least we can hope for a reasonable process forward.

5. Brian 02/11/2011 - 8:21 pm

   Glorious day! The last Pharaoh ousted by the people. Since I’m sure no one wants to see the people’s aspirations frustrated by another autocratic regime, the appropriate response is Long live the Revolution!

   The inter-religious prayer services and fellow feeling among the crowds have been an inspiration.

6. Ann Olivier 02/11/2011 - 9:36 pm  subscriber

   The military was obviously the key to forcing Mubarak to leave. With the support of the military he could have stayed.

   So why did the military finally turn against him? At the beginning it did fire on some civilians, but later was protective. Looks like there are factions in the military, or maybe just a very ambitious general who couldn’t wait for M. to die. That would be scary too — did it finally booted Mubarak because *it* wanted all the power, or at least some general did? (Have I been reading too much Shakespeare?)

   A pundit on CNN said this evening that the military has been highly privileged under Mubarak — they own businesses and farms and have more than military power. Hmm.

   Wonder what’s really going on.

7. Bill Mazzella 02/11/2011 - 10:24 pm  subscriber

   What is striking is the absolute jubilation of the Egyptians people. This is against a backdrop of the military who had close ties to Mubarak now calling the shots. I guess there is this sense of empowerment which has led to the celebrating. The people have not exercised this much influence in a long time, if ever. The coming days do look uncertain. There is the contrast with an extremely wealthy and privileged military with a groundswell for democracy.

8. Bob Nunz 02/14/2011 - 12:00 pm

   As Cairo/Tunis spreads across the Middle East and meets repression, will our voice be clear or muted????

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