Rock the Casbah: Arab-World Revolutions

[Cyan D. Funk]

Mubarak: I know! I'll sic my loyal army on these dissidents! They'll crumble like a straw shack when faced with trained soldiers who follow my every comma-

BBC Arabic Reporter in Tahreer square now says Protesters & Army in complete harmony, chatting, eating & laughing together #Jan25 #Egypt

Mubarak: MOTHERFUCKER.

[trappedolphin]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-uprising.html

The American Embassy in Cairo helped a young dissident attend a US-sponsored summit for activists in New York, while working to keep his identity secret from Egyptian state police.

On his return to Cairo in December 2008, the activist told US diplomats that an alliance of opposition groups had drawn up a plan to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak and install a democratic government in 2011.

[piratemarimo]

Its really really easy to go "I live in X country, how does this affect me?" But damn. This is so incredibly important and... I don't even know how to describe it. World politics aren't my thing usually, but... I can't think of anything in memory thats comparable.

I feel the same way. I usually never pay much attention to what's happening in the world but watching these events unfold is indescribable to me.

[trappedolphin]

Military in #Egypt is ignoring protesters/seizing critical infrastructure. Protesters cheering as they do it. The government is finished.

[Cymelion]

Military in #Egypt is ignoring protesters/seizing critical infrastructure. Protesters cheering as they do it. The government is finished.

Sadly - once the celebrations and groups calm down - then will begin a power struggle.

If there is no leader who will step in?

UN watchgroup for an interim government?
The Opposition party member?
Military?
Neighbouring country deciding that the country is able to be grabbed?

I hope that with such pressure there is help to set up Democratic elections ASAP, but what would be the earliest?
1-3 months?

Regardless though he needed to be gone - these are problems for another day when the dust settles. If the focus of the world on Egypt at the moment helps then I for one will make sure all I know hear about it - even if they don't care, there more following the news the more they will show that news.

[JERK DISEASE]

Totally awesome.



I figure its big enough and important enough its going to be at the top of the chart for the next few days anyway, and deserves to be noticed and paid attention to.

Its really really easy to go "I live in X country, how does this affect me?" But damn. This is so incredibly important and... I don't even know how to describe it. World politics aren't my thing usually, but... I can't think of anything in memory thats comparable.

The Fall of Communism was the last thing like this.

[JERK DISEASE]

Sadly - once the celebrations and groups calm down - then will begin a power struggle.

Not necessarily.

The fact that the military will remain a unit loyal to the people is valuable beyond words. It will provide basic stability and keep anything like a random power grab from working. I don't even think a random general trying something would work.

Not that rebuilding wouldn't be messy, but more on papers and in arguments then with guns.

This hasn't been a revolt of factions. It's been pure movement of the people.

UN watchgroup for an interim government?
The Opposition party member?
Military?
Neighbouring country deciding that the country is able to be grabbed?

Neighboring countries? lol
Look at a map.
Sudan ain't gonna do jack. Libya is probably too afraid to even make a sound right now with TWO revolutions BOTH possibly successful right on either side. Jordan would never.
And Saudi Arabia makes a career of having others do shit for them, not do anything.

Israel is the only one I'd worry about, since some fanatical bid to make sure Egypt can't become something they fear might enter their minds. But they won't do a damn thing either even if they want to. They already caused heavy international condemnation from attacking that one boat, imagine attacking a country that isn't at war with it.

There are opposition people willing to steep up.

I hope that with such pressure there is help to set up Democratic elections ASAP, but what would be the earliest?
1-3 months?

Lord knows. Way too early to say.

Regardless though he needed to be gone - these are problems for another day when the dust settles. If the focus of the world on Egypt at the moment helps then I for one will make sure all I know hear about it - even if they don't care, there more following the news the more they will show that news.

Don't count your chickens, Mubarak hasn't fled yet. Though the forecast is looking good who knows.

[Rogues' Gallery]

Don't count your chickens, Mubarak hasn't fled yet. Though the forecast is looking good who knows.

But the Riot Police Officers have either been overcome or allied themselves alongside the protesters and the Army appears to be loyal to the people so I don't know what Mubarak has left to keep him in power anymore....

[trappedolphin]

Nothing's confirmed about the army yet. I've heard of one conscript defying orders and joining the protestors, but I'm not sure about how the Army in general is acting. We know that they might not be happy about Gamal succeeding, but whether they'll disobey orders...

On another note,

"I'm standing here to defend & to protect our national treasure."--Farid Saad, part of the human chain protecting the museum. #egypt #hero

Piers Morgan: We don't even know what the Egyptians are protesting about. Of course you don't Piers, you're a dumbass #Egypt M <-- had to laugh at this

[JERK DISEASE]

I've only heard reports of Military palling with the people. And no reports of them attacking them.

[trappedolphin]

from bencnn: Even today the Muslim Brotherhood didn't appear to play a big role in the protests. They missed the boat yet again. #Jan25 #Egypt

[Ubiq]

Considering the sheer size of the party in Egypt, they're probably betting that just doing nothing will work out well for them. If Mubarak gets the military to crack down and stays in power, then they can point out that they had nothing to do with it. If the people win out, then they gain a lot of power from the elections.

[THE SEA]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics...,3548099.story

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/29/wo...t.html?_r=1&hp

[Mr. Truth]

It's amazing that I'm witnessing what could turn into the 1989 of my generation.

Mubarak needs to honestly GTFO. And I have a feeling that he will.

[ChesCa]

*Whistles*
Quite a thing to come home to.
And I'm afraid that I'm like Robby in that world affairs have a hard time getting my attention, but I'm glad to be following this.

[trappedolphin]

http://canonical.org/~kragen/egypt-massacre-sotu.html

Seems like a pretty interesting write-up about what Egypt has been going through, and comments on Obama's speech.

edit: my bad, I think he's referring to a different speech.

[ChesCa]

http://canonical.org/~kragen/egypt-massacre-sotu.html

Seems like a pretty good write-up about what Egypt has been going through, and comments on Obama's speech.

*Read's Trapped's article*
It's funny: earlier in the IRC, I said that if the citizens ever won, they wouldn't forget those who fought them. I was talking about the military, but now that I think about it, Obama fits that bill as well.
Of course, being the president of the country that funds the oppressive regime probably fucked him over anyway.

[trappedolphin]

Everything seems to be under a 'tense calm' now. Seems like people are waiting to see who the new government is.

One Egyptian said: The make-up of the cabinet will be crucial, the streets will react to that #Jan25

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/mi...334871490.html <-- A timeline of the events over the past four days

Also, the ruling party HQ has been in flames for more than 10 hours. :D

edit: old, but this is the video of the BBC reporter who was arrested and beat up with steel bars (used for animals) by plain-clothes policeman when he was standing about 300 metres away from the protests. He said he was 'electrified' in some way, perhaps by the bars. He said he's about to go to the hospital to get stitches.

[Rogues' Gallery]

Also, the ruling party HQ has been in flames for more than 10 hours. :D

Isn't that bad because it's right next to the Egyptian Museum of priceless artifacts?

[trappedolphin]

The museum has been under protection by the Army.

edit: ah, here's the link. http://english.aljazeera.net/news/mi...443907125.html

The ruling National Democratic Party's headquarters in the capital is still ablaze, more than 12 hours after it was set alight by protesters.
The Egyptian army says that it has been able to secure the neighbouring museum of antiquities from the threat of fire and looting, averting the possible loss of thousands of priceless artefacts.
Armoured personnel carriers remain stationed around the British and US embassies, as well as at the state television station.

Earlier there was a human shield of protestors around the museum. So it seems like the museum should be safe, which is a relief.