Egypt Revolts: are the dominoes falling?

[kertejud2]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypt-presidents-son-family-flee-to-Britain/articleshow/7365922.cms


CAIRO: Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's son, who is considered as his successor, has fled to Britain along with his family, a US-based Arabic website reported.

The plane with Gamal Mubarak, his wife and daughter on board left for London Tuesday from an airport in western Cairo, the website Akhbar al-Arab said.

The report came as violent unrest broke out in Cairo and other Egyptian cities and hundreds of thousands of people reportedly took to the streets in a Tunisia-inspired day of revolt.

The protesters want Egyptian government to end its 30-year state of emergency and pass a law preventing a president from serving more than two terms, and want the Interior Minister Habib al-Adly to resign.

Protests in Egypt broke out after opposition groups waged an internet campaign inspired by the Tunisian uprising. Weeks of unrest in Tunisia eventually toppled president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali earlier this month.

A police officer was killed in clashes Tuesday in central Cairo, Egyptian daily al-Wafd reported.

Over 30,000 protesters gathered in Cairo's Maidan al-Tahrir square to take part in the "day of anger", said the spokesman for Egypt's '6 April' opposition movement, Mohammed Adel.

"Police used tear gas and water canon to break up our protest and they arrested 40 of us, but we don't have official figures on the numbers of arrests across Egypt," said Adel.

Supporters of the '6 April' movement, the opposition al-Ghad party, the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the al-Wafd party and supporters of former UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohammed El Baradei took part in the protest.

Al-Wafd daily said police arrested 600 people during Tuesday's protests in Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said, Tantan, al-Mahala, Asiut, al-Bahira and al-Quium. More than 200,000 people took part in protests in these cities.

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said Tuesday Washington believed the Egyptian government was stable and urged restraint on both sides.

Tunisia revolting is a human interest story, but Egypt revolting in the same month is MASSIVE. This could inspire revolts throughout the Arab world. History doesn't repeat itself, but the nationalism that brewed the Italian unification in the 19th century unfolded very much like this. If this keeps spreading, there could be an "Arab Republic" stretching from Morocco to Iraq in 10 years, like the Arabs have been dreaming about for the past century. [/ZenOps]

[kertejud2]

Shit just got real...


http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/01/26/world/26egypt2-cnd/26egypt2-cnd-articleLarge.jpg

After Day of Protests, Egypt Bans New Rallies


CAIRO —A day after tens of thousands of people marched in opposition to the nearly 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian authorities on Wednesday outlawed any new gatherings, saying protesters faced “immediate” arrest.

page 2 (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/27/world/middleeast/27egypt.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2)

[Cos]

30 year state of emergency? what the hell

[ZenOps]

Egypt was teetering of late, but If you asked me a few years ago, I would have said that there would be no way it would even be on the radar for civil unrest. It certainly wasn't on my radar (did I just say that I didn't see this one coming? Crazyness.)

Another president flees their country, and Baby Doc tries to reclaim his (maybe he was looking for more human body parts to sell?).. Cards are flying all over the place. Haven't seen power struggles like this in my lifetime (only read about them in books)

The food price index broke 215, which caused riots back in 2008. What is making it worse this time is the metal commodities index is also high (tin, copper, etc.)

When vegetable stand owners start setting themselves on fire, it is a concern of great magnitude.

PS: Don't worry locally. The govt and free market commerce here is not inept. We have secured one year California apple futures at 33cents/pound (so that they don't waste all the land growing marijuana) Bananas are getting up there though, the shipping costs are high.

[Xtrema]

It's Obama's fault. He actually gave people hope.

[ZenOps]

Note how Obama mentions Sputnik...

Appealing to the smart people to *innovate* their way out of economic hardship (because you have to know that 90% of people in the US don't know Russian history)

He could have really sold it, preached like a madman to the common man, but he went intellectual..

Valid sure. No idea if it will work or not. If he wants to play that game ok... I can say that man landed on the moon 50 years ago too, now why haven't you young people landed on mars yet? Get your asses in gear!

"The peasants are revolting!"

"Yeah, they could use a bath."

[Toma]

It's amazing what Facebook and the interent can do.....

Wow, what's next, democracy in Saudi Arabia?

[CUG]

This is awesome for the middle-east. These are growing pains that might turn into liberties and eventually equality over there. Good for them!

[broken_legs]

:repost: My thread was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better FYI.


http://forums.beyond.ca/st/325785/tunisia-overthrown-egypt-next/

[911fever]

Originally posted by CUG
This is awesome for the middle-east. These are growing pains that might turn into liberties and eventually equality over there. Good for them!

:werd: so true

[Bassemz]

and the revolt continues through Wednesday, and there is more planned on Friday. Way to go, I was amazed by the numbers of people going out on Tuesday.

[freshprince1]

This is all over Reddit. There have been a couple of civilian deaths already...something about a guy getting shot in the chest.

EDIT: VIDEO OF REVOLT/RIOT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo5Fn1-2E8o)

[CUG]

Originally posted by freshprince1
This is all over Reddit. There have been a couple of civilian deaths already...something about a guy getting shot in the chest. The unfortunate pains of revolution. Hopefully the idea spreads to the more oppressed people in the region.

[Feruk]

Originally posted by CUG
This is awesome for the middle-east. These are growing pains that might turn into liberties and eventually equality over there. Good for them!

That's one of two possibilities. Also, prolly the less likely of the two. Looking at the region, when has a revolt led to a more free and fair government over there?

[CUG]

Originally posted by Feruk


That's one of two possibilities. Also, prolly the less likely of the two. Looking at the region, when has a revolt led to a more free and fair government over there? You're right, there is a possibility of it being quelled and put back to sleep; I hope it doesn't. Freedom and liberty is hard earned. I hope they stick to it.

[DRKM]

Originally posted by Toma
It's amazing what Facebook and the interent can do.....

Wow, what's next, democracy in Saudi Arabia?

It would be amazing if woman in Saudi Arabia could have the right to vote before they have the right to drive!

hahahaha:nut:

[kaput]

.

[Toma]

Mid east is rife with governments that while "pro west" are not representative of their people, economies and job are in the drains, food is expensive, other inflation etc.

[Toma]

BTW, it's not just Egypt, a lot of unrest in Algeria....

People rising up against oppressive regimes... nice!

[Toma]

Here is a week old article from Robert Fisk.... worth the read.

http://www.zcommunications.org/the-brutal-truth-about-tunisia-by-robert-fisk

[CUG]

Originally posted by kaput
I'm ignorant. What is actually going on here? Why are they angry? What do they hope to achieve? The news just sensationalizes the violence without explaining what it's all about. Shit is hitting the fan. If democracy reigns, it will be the will of the people vs the will of some select religious officials and princes. This works well two ways: 1) The may very well end up with a better nation with higher quality of life for all people 2) If the majority votes, then the citizens of the nation are equally as liable for government policy, and can be held to task by the rest of the world for human rights atrocities committed by the government if it continues to occur. People will no longer have the argument "it's the act of an oppressive governmental regime"; it now becomes "it was the will of the people".

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by broken_legs
:repost: My thread was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better FYI.


http://forums.beyond.ca/st/325785/tunisia-overthrown-egypt-next/

Your thread is the Mubarak to my angry mob.

[Crymson]

Hey beyond. I'm in Cairo right now. Not near downtown or anything, so I haven't seen anything other than a heightened militar/police presence around town. its Thursday evening right now and I'm skipping town asap because because shit is going to get VERY real on Friday. Tuesday was the start be ause it was a national holiday, (police day ironically) but friday is the first day if the weekend here. Organizers are trying to put a million people on the streets of Cairo.

Talking to as many people as I can, this is about two things. Jobs and corruption. Egypt is kind of like Iran in their demographics. It is awash with un and under employed youth. Educated or not. Unlike tunisia(population 9 million) Egypt has a pretty low mean standard of living. I didn't say 'averagr' because its like America - there is alot of extremely rich motherfuckers here but most live off of a few hundred dollars us a month. There isn't really a middle class.

So there isn't really much opportunity here for people and they're super pissed this is mostly because 30 years of corruption and nepotism have killed alot of industries and agriculture. (Remember Egyptian cotton'? Yeah most Egyptians dont) and funneled wealth into the hands of the rich. And because there is t alot of industry here the only thing thing the wealthy invest in is real estate, the government looks at all this massive de elopment and construction and says 'Look at this boomtown' there is disconnect between the reality and the perception.

[Crymson]

If thi Gs actually get toppled, it will be very unlikely that an Islamist state will be formed. Arguable the Muslim brotherhood is the most powerful single entity, but they are the minority compares to the overwhelmingly moderate Egyptians who just want a decent wage and a good education system and future for their children. If murabak goes down and a Democratic reform takesnplave, it will likely be a fairly progressive state with the Islamists making up the opposition.

most of the protest organizers and fervent supporters are the young and eductaed who feel cheated by their government and wouldn't tolerate an Islamist state any more than they would suffer a dictator

[syeve]

Thanks for posting Crymson - Be safe.

[Cos]

Originally posted by syeve
Thanks for posting Crymson - Be safe.

+1

Photos too if you have them! Of anything! I want to go to Egypt one day too.

[n1zm0]

yeah take pics and watch your back!

what are you doing in Cairo anyways Crymson? work/visit? the whole middle east is getting ancy these past few weeks.

looks like this downtown? :nut:


http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/mideast_protests_spread/bp16.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/mideast_protests_spread/bp11.jpg

http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/mideast_protests_spread/bp4.jpg

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/01/protest_spreads_in_the_middle.html

[Crymson]

I come down here every couple of months for work. This time it just coincided with some unpleaseantless. Where us stay and work is far away from anything that has happened so far. However the Muslim brotherhood has called for their supporters to finally join the fray after the religious activities tomorrow (1pm). This is where theyr going tonget the masses from as.friday is a day off. That's about 4 am tomorrow morning so their should be some news tomorrow. Also as if about 5Pm today Facebook is blocked. I'd heard it was blocked but I was able to get through until this evening. I've heard rumous that the bm are trying to organize their demonstrations un maadi as opposed to downtown. This is scary as its the part of town where most of the expats live and where alot of foreign companies have their offices. Hopefully they're not trying to target westerners because Egyptians have no beef to pick with them but them but the islamists may try to change the tone if the demonstrations. I'm glad I'm out here in a few hours. Got a flight out at 5am

COs, Egypt is a wonderful place. You'd love it. Cairo is fun and vibrant and full of things to do. Everything is great except for the pyramids, the hawkers and throngs of street urchins really ruin it. You can't stand alone for less than two minutes without harassing you. I would love to go downtown and get some photos but that ain't going to happen. :]

[Crymson]

Double

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by CUG
This is awesome for the middle-east. These are growing pains that might turn into liberties and eventually equality over there. Good for them!

Perhaps. But not before innocent people are going to be killed.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Beyond CNN indeed, we even have a reporter on the scene, haha!

[911fever]

Time for democracy for all. Viva la revolution! Tunisa, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and one day Iran. Viva la revolution!

[spikerS]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat
Beyond CNN indeed, we even have a reporter on the scene, haha!

lol!

Crymson, just get the fuck out of there. Don't do anything stupid like trying to go take pictures or interview people. Shit like this gets bad VERY quickly, and things can turn on a dime.

[Zephyr]

Originally posted by spikers


lol!

Crymson, just get the fuck out of there. Don't do anything stupid like trying to go take pictures or interview people. Shit like this gets bad VERY quickly, and things can turn on a dime.

Yea seriously let the press take pictures. Get to safety quick! But I heard the Internet is fully blocked now so I don't think he will see our posts. Be safe fellow beyonder.

[Zephyr]

http://vimeo.com/19248086

[CUG]

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/971/manjumpingonriotcops.jpg

[Crymson]

Hey guys. Got out. The internet went down about 12:30 am and I fucking booked. Luckily id bumped my flight to a 5am Lufthansa flight outta there. Security was tight. They were keeping the riff raff out out of the airport. Usually this flight is mostly British and German expata going home for the weekend. But today there was a hugely disproportionate number of egyytians with their families and a shit load of baggage. Definitely looked like established elites getting the fuck out of dodge.stick market in Egypt dropped another 10%. Reports of people getting shot in the streets and the military stepping up against the people. The leaders if the Mb were rounded up shortly after the government killed the internet, SMS, and cell networks. Last I heard from out corporate security was if you're in Cairo don't leave your flat and if you're leaving today get to the airport immediately. I'm stuck in the airport in Frankfurt now. Ita mid afternoon in Cairo. If something terrible is going to happen. Its going to happen soon. There was a lot of military presence in Cairo this morning but the 'fuck this noise, I'm going home' in me got thebbest of me and I didn't whip out the camera to snap pics of the ak47 ladden cadres. I wasn't going to jeapordize my chances of a flight out

[Iceman_19]

Thats haywire. Shit is going to get ugly.....

[kertejud2]

Good that you got out Crymson. Unless your job is journalism or action photography then you had no business in staying. The longer you would have waited the greater the chance of having to find refuge at the Canadian embassy while the shit gets worse.

[zain123]

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

[Feruk]

Originally posted by 911fever
Time for democracy for all. Viva la revolution! Tunisa, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, and one day Iran. Viva la revolution!

That's very optimistic thinking. History has shown time and time again that revolutions lead to a far worst government at first then the people they are replacing. See: France, Russia, Iran just to name a few. If the revolution is successful, I doubt we'll see a Western style democracy for some time. After they've toppled Mumbarek (spelling?), you'll have the opposing views fighting each other for countrol. This uprising could easily lead to a major bloodbath.

The only way I see this ending well is if the President calls for an election.

[zain123]

The opposition in egypt is a coalition of some various groups.. it ll be interesting to see how it plays out for sure

[zain123]

from AJE..

RamyYaacoub via twitter:
"Christians were out protesting/protecting Muslims while Muslims prayed. Now everyone is joined together!"

[CUG]

Originally posted by Crymson
Hey guys. Got out. The internet went down about 12:30 am and I fucking booked. Luckily id bumped my flight to a 5am Lufthansa flight outta there. Security was tight. They were keeping the riff raff out out of the airport. Usually this flight is mostly British and German expata going home for the weekend. But today there was a hugely disproportionate number of egyytians with their families and a shit load of baggage. Definitely looked like established elites getting the fuck out of dodge.stick market in Egypt dropped another 10%. Reports of people getting shot in the streets and the military stepping up against the people. The leaders if the Mb were rounded up shortly after the government killed the internet, SMS, and cell networks. Last I heard from out corporate security was if you're in Cairo don't leave your flat and if you're leaving today get to the airport immediately. I'm stuck in the airport in Frankfurt now. Ita mid afternoon in Cairo. If something terrible is going to happen. Its going to happen soon. There was a lot of military presence in Cairo this morning but the 'fuck this noise, I'm going home' in me got thebbest of me and I didn't whip out the camera to snap pics of the ak47 ladden cadres. I wasn't going to jeapordize my chances of a flight out Buddy, I'm actually kind of envious of the story you now have to tell your kids and your kids kids. Still a pile of balls on you for hanging it out as long as you did. :thumbsup:

[max_boost]

Holy shit is serious over there.

It's so evil but because of all the drama, caused oil prices to spike and my energy stocks to shoot up out of nowhere and weekend cash in my pocket for fun this weekend.

Aside from that, I hope Crymson gets out safe. :eek:

[clem24]

Originally posted by max_boost
Aside from that, I hope Crymson gets out safe. :eek:

According to his post an hour + 1 day ago he's in Germany.