Tunesia, Egyt and now Yemen: a domino effect in the Middle East?

Quote:

Egypt's vice-president has said protesters calling for the departure of Hosni Mubarak, the president, are not "part of the Egyptian culture", saying "we all respect Mubarak as father and leader".

"Not part of the Egyptian culture"? They are the Egyptian culture. I doubt Suleiman is going to be part of the solution.

that makes people hate the US

Egypt set for 'Day of Departure'
4 February 2011 Last updated at 06:35 GMT


A wounded anti-government protester holds an Egyptian flag in Tahrir Square, Cairo (3 Feb 2011) Hundreds have been injured in the clashes

Organisers are calling for tens of thousands of people to gather in Tahrir Square, where days of unrest have led to hundreds of casualties.

Mr Mubarak is under increasing pressure to resign, with the US now calling for an immediate transition of power.

He says such a move would leave Egypt in chaos, but has admitted he is "fed up" with being in power.

In his first interview since anti-government protests began, he told ABC News he would like to resign immediately.

But he repeated his long-held assertion that the country's Islamist opposition - the Muslim Brotherhood - would fill the power vacuum left by his absence.

The protest organisers are demanding that he leave immediately and have said they plan to march on the presidential palace on Friday.

They have been angered further by the emergence in recent days of pro-Mubarak gangs - many suspected to be plain clothes police - who have attacked anti-government protesters.

The protesters have called for tens of thousands of people to gather in the capital after Friday prayers to put the "last nail in the regime's coffin".

The BBC's Ian Pannell in Cairo says there appears to be a far larger army presence in Tahrir Square on Friday morning, with far fewer pro-Mubarak supporters.


'Meaningful transition'

Egypt's Vice President Omar Suleiman has appealed for calm and urged the protesters to accept Mr Mubarak's pledge that he will not stand for election again.

But it has now emerged that the White House has been in talks with Mr Suleiman about how Egypt can begin making a "meaningful transition" to a democratic government that addresses the aspirations of the Egyptian people.

US Vice-President Joe Biden spoke to his Egyptian counterpart on Thursday, say diplomats, a day after Mr Suleiman had similar talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The New York Times suggested that among the proposals was a plan for Mr Mubarak to resign immediately and hand power to a military-backed interim government under Mr Suleiman.

Neither the White House nor the state department have directly denied the report.

But a spokesman for the President Barack Obama's National Security Council said it was "time to begin a peaceful, orderly and meaningful transition, with credible, inclusive negotiations".

"We have discussed with the Egyptians a variety of different ways to move that process forward, but all of those decisions must be made by the Egyptian people," said Tommy Vietor.

The BBC's Mark Mardell in Washington says other reports suggest the US plan has already been rebuffed in Egypt, and that the administration has been surprised by the attitude of the military and Mr Suleiman.

The reports say officials believe Mr Suleiman was aware of the apparent campaign in recent days to intimidate the opposition, and are now wondering whether he is the right man to lead an interim government, says our correspondent.


'Outrageous' violence

The crisis in Egypt has intensified in recent days as supporters of Mr Mubarak have begun attacking protesters in the capital.

Stones were thrown on both sides, and there were reports of gunfire, while footage has emerged of vehicles being driven at speed through crowds of protesters.

Foreign journalists reporting for several organisations have been attacked, with Mubarak supporters reported to have stormed a number of Cairo hotels.

The army, which has said the protests are legitimate, has been trying to keep the two sides apart but appeared to have failed to control the crowds.

Late in the evening, a number of political activists were arrested by military police, as were representatives of Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

Tens of thousands of people remained in central Cairo after dark on Thursday, some involved in running battles with Mubarak supporters.

The attacks have drawn condemnation from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, as well as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

"Let me be totally clear: this is outrageous and totally unacceptable, it must stop now," Mr Ban said.

In his interview with ABC News, Mr Mubarak denied that his administration was behind the violence of the last two days but said it had troubled him.

The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Cairo said very few Egyptian will accept that version of events.

But the interview gave a fascinating insight into what is going on in the president's mind as he surveys the chaos in the capital, says our correspondent.

Do you find discussion about what is happening in Egypt and what might happen unseemly?

1313: Margaret in Giza says: "I haven't been out of my house since Monday. While the days are calm, at night it is scary with sounds gunfire. The men go out to protect the small family houses on my street. Everyone is taking responsibility and it has been wonderful, empowering, and very humbling. At the beginning of the protests there was a demonstration in Pyramid Street but since then, it has been quiet - people have been keeping their heads down. Thugs are completely able to do what they want and the secret police are more like an army of control - I think most of the trouble stems from them."

1309: Mosa'ab Elshamy, an anti-Mubarak protester in Tahrir Square, tells the BBC World Service what could happen if the day ends with Mubarak still in office: "Today we call it the Friday of departure. If not, it could be the Saturday of departure or it could be the Sunday. We have no other option but to stay in Tahrir Square, for those who were killed and for those who led the lines and died here in Tahrir."

1332: The BBC's Khaled Ezzelarab reports there has been a stone-throwing clash between protesters in Tahrir Square. Meanwhile, the BBC's Islam Saad says around 2000 supporters of Mr Mubarak have joined the Mustafa Mahmoud Square demo. He says: "They are waving Egyptian flags and chanting: 'Yes to Mubarak, yes to stability. 30 years of peace.'"

If Mubarak would step down and others take the transitional lead, then the markets could open again. The burden is on him.

It is bemusing to note the number of folks here who apparently believe they are soul mates of imagined young Twittering protestors in the main square in Cairo

We can at best but guess and hope. Our countries are not without influence, but it is merely influence at best. The complex and only partly understood dynamic of events will play out in the approximate pattern we call history.

I simply find it interesting and I am finding myself sort of like a fan in an audience cheering the protesters on and I really don't see what harm it does and more voices in (not really mine on a message board, but whatever) support from wherever it is, might just give it more momentum to support them to keep going.

It is bemusing to note the number of folks here who apparently believe they are soul mates of imagined young Twittering protestors in the main square in Cairo and that there is nothing more involved or needed here than the swift fulfillment their wishes - all on a fanciful chessboard model of a wide area of the world.

I presume you mean the entertainment to keep going.

Quote:

Do you find discussion about what is happening in Egypt and what might happen unseemly?

A lot of it--yes.

Katie Couric was "Live in Cairo" on Wed night. Last night she was "Live in New York". I would like to see the details of that little transaction.

Our respective official statements are for home consumption. They are playing to the grandstands.