Hosni Mubarak Steps Down

[trooneh]

Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down as president of Egypt.

In an announcement on state TV, Vice-President Omar Suleiman said Mr Mubarak had handed power to the military.

It came as thousands massed in Cairo and other Egyptian cities for an 18th day of protest to demand Mr Mubarak's resignation.

Protesters responded by cheering, waving flags, embracing and sounding car horns. "The people have brought down the regime," they chanted.

Mr Suleiman said Mr Mubarak had handed power to the high command of the armed forces.

"In the name of God the merciful, the compassionate, citizens, during these very difficult circumstances Egypt is going through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down from the office of president of the republic and has charged the high council of the armed forces to administer the affairs of the country," he said.

"May God help everybody."

Mr Mubarak has already left Cairo and is in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh where he has a residence, officials say.

In Cairo, thousands of people are gathered outside the presidential palace, in Tahrir Square and at state TV.

They came out in anger following an address by Mr Mubarak on Thursday. He had been expected to announce his resgination but instead stopped short of stepping down, transferring most powers to Mr Suleiman.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12433045

and

[Original story] Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned Friday, relinquishing power after three decades of iron-clad rule in the powerhouse nation of the Arab world.

Vice President Omar Suleiman announced the resignation on state television and said he was transferring authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to "run the affairs of the country."

Tens of thousands of emotional anti-government protesters erupted in deafening cheers on the streets of Cairo after the announcement.

"Egypt is free!" they chanted.

It was a moment anti-government protesters had been waiting for after 18 days of relentless demonstrations that called for Mubarak's departure.

U.S. President Barack Obama said he was notified of Mubarak's decision Friday morning and was closely watching the extraordinary developments unfold in Egypt, a key U.S. ally. He will make a statement Friday afternoon, the White House said.

A source with close connections to Persian Gulf government leaders told CNN that Mubarak had gone to the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/11/egypt.protests/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

[trooneh]

Not sure if I should double post this, merge with my original post, but I had read BBC's news page at 11:15, then I refresh it at 11:35, and in between, Mubarak resigned. Wow. :P

[Sogeking]

So it's finally done then.

[Sugaree]

mfw Mubarak stepped down



http://www.sadanduseless.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/1246-660x480.jpg

[Jess]

now let's see what happens next :S

[TheMatrix]

So it's finally done then.
and it was about bloody f***ing time, too!

[Magus]

Finally. Now Egyptian can settle down in their fava bean meadows.

[embers]

Lol my mum was screaming with joy when this happened. You know, like all that 'the power of people's will can do so much' kind of stuff. I mean, this all did spark off because of the man in Tunisia who set himself on fire.

[Magus]

I mean, this all did spark off because of the man in Tunisia who set himself on fire.Thanks to him, other 3 men in Egypt went ablaze. That's what start the protest in Egypt. And now Algeria and Yemen are following them.

[Azunite]

He'll be back, as soon as he is refueled and rearmed

[Amnesiac]

He'll be back, as soon as he is refueled and rearmed

I doubt that. Egypt'll probably form a new government, democratically, with the effects of a successful revolution spilling over into the rest of the Middle East.

I particularly want to see Saudi Arabia go under, but that probably won't happen.

[Azunite]

I doubt that. Egypt'll probably form a new government, democratically, with the effects of a successful revolution spilling over into the rest of the Middle East.

I particularly want to see Saudi Arabia go under, but that probably won't happen.


Every country has a chance of revolution but Saudi Arabia? The rebels would be killed by tanks, no hesitation in Arabia

[Amnesiac]

Every country has a chance of revolution but Saudi Arabia? The rebels would be killed by tanks, no hesitation in Arabia

There's a lot of pressure from the outside world in play here. I wouldn't underestimate the power of the people – I mean, Egypt has the 10th largest military in the world, the most powerful of any of the Arab states.

[Magus]

You both got it wrong about Saudi Arabia.

Countries like Saudi Arabi and even Libya, there won't be any kind of revolution.

Why you ask? Because both of King of Saudi and President of Libya, give their people money. That's why.

Also, because Kingdom is a strictly Islamic country, adopting foreign and western principles is considered blasphemous.

[Amnesiac]

You both got it wrong about Saudi Arabia.

Countries like Saudi Arabi and even Libya, there won't be any kind of revolution.

Why you ask? Because both of King of Saudi and President of Libya, give their people money. That's why.

Also, because Kingdom is a strictly Islamic country, adopting foreign and western principles is considered blasphemous.

Maybe the people in those countries will realize the money is only a temporary 'gift'.

But still, you never know, Faris, you never know.

[Magus]

Maybe the people in those countries will realize the money is only a temporary 'gift'.The money supply will be cut when the petroleum depletes.

[Amnesiac]

The money supply will be cut when the petroleum depletes.

I doubt it'll be cut. Probably trimmed down bit by bit as the world economy switches to green technologies.

[Continuum]

I doubt it'll be cut. Probably trimmed down bit by bit as the world economy switches to green technologies.

In the end, though, they wouldn't have much dominance on the world's depleting demand for oil, which means they'll lose consumers, and ultimately, the mass inside their wallets. Include that and, voila, they don't have anything to keep the people at bay.

[Azunite]

There's a lot of pressure from the outside world in play here. I wouldn't underestimate the power of the people – I mean, Egypt has the 10th largest military in the world, the most powerful of any of the Arab states.

So? Army wouldn't change anything.
We have the second most powerful army in NATO yet I believe in 5-10 years we'll also have a revolution.

[Continuum]

So? Army wouldn't change anything.
We have the second most powerful army in NATO yet I believe in 5-10 years we'll also have a revolution.

Armed forces (Including the Paramilitary and the Gendarmerie) keep the peace and try to push laws, and a Revolution is certainly not a lawful thing to do. They'll try to keep the nation as stable as possible, and that serves as a large obstacle to anarchists.

[Azunite]

Armed forces (Including the Paramilitary and the Gendarmerie) keep the peace and try to push laws, and a Revolution is certainly not a lawful thing to do. They'll try to keep the nation as stable as possible, and that serves as a large obstacle to anarchists.

Military has rifles, machine guns, howitzers, anti tank weapons and mortars.
Now what can the military use against civilians except barricades?

[embers]

Military has rifles, machine guns, howitzers, anti tank weapons and mortars.
Now what can the military use against civilians except barricades?

Rubber bullets (I'm sure they have some), smoke, they can go as far as firing in the air to scare away the stupider ones. - But that's considering they're not willing to use lethal force against civilians. They could well be prepared to.

[Perseus]

So? Army wouldn't change anything.
We have the second most powerful army in NATO yet I believe in 5-10 years we'll also have a revolution.
Why would Turkey have a revolution?

[Magus]

firing in the air to scare away the stupider ones.You don't know Egyptian. Most probably never met an Egyptian immigrant, eh?

The "Stupider" ones are missing an element called 'fear'. From jumping from buildings, going under buses and to get actually get shot. They are the "tanks" in the Egyptian ranks.

[Azunite]

Why would Turkey have a revolution?

Yesterday, 180 miliary officers were arrested and put into jail, and before that, more than 200...
There were the top elites of our military, most of them were retired or were experienced military teachers...

The Prime Minister arrested them under the title "Plotting against the Government"

And now they put up a new law that "Cops don't need to go to military service ( for 1 year ) after 5 years of work" We are turning into a police state.

Around Turkey, many university students protest against the government and the police. And the police crush them with riot shields, batons and panzers ( armored vehicles whcih use pressurized water against civilians ). University students resist though, I'm glad they can. Lol when there are heavy bodyguards around, they throw eggs at government officials, the traitors.

During the Cold War, Turkey was divided into two factions, Right and Left ( the political Right-Left ) and many people fled the country, universities were shut down, there was a coup...
I hope a similliar thing happen again and after 10-15 years of AKP regime, we'll bring the people on the rule again.

The revolution is just a theory for me and my dad, but I hope there'll be one.

[Daniel_]

>Enters the communist dictator into office.

[embers]

You don't know Egyptian. Most probably never met an Egyptian immigrant, eh?

The "Stupider" ones are missing an element called 'fear'. From jumping from buildings, going under buses and to get actually get shot. They are the "tanks" in the Egyptian ranks.

Sorry, should I say to scare off the more easily frightened ones.

[Azunite]

Sorry, should I say to scare off the more easily frightened ones.

Revolutionaries have only one thing in mind: To bring down the president. Do you think few rubber bullets will frighten them off?
And you just can't wound the entire population

[embers]

Revolutionaries have only one thing in mind: To bring down the president. Do you think few rubber bullets will frighten them off?
And you just can't wound the entire population

I was talking about using live ammunition to scare away protesters, and I originally used the term 'more stupid ones' which I corrected to 'the more easily frightened'. Not every protester is a revolutionary, though.

[Azunite]

I was talking about using live ammunition to scare away protesters, and I originally used the term 'more stupid ones' which I corrected to 'the more easily frightened'. Not every protester is a revolutionary, though.

Fire in the air and bullets wil rain to the protesters as shrapnels...
And come on the first shot would scare, the second would but eventually they wouldn't be scared of it.

And we are talking about revolutionaries here, in my opinion protesters shouldn't even be dealt with, leave ammuniton not even with any force.
Let them yell out their lungs and disband after few hours.
If things get rough, surely a shield wall and pressurized water is enough

[embers]

And we are talking about revolutionaries here, in my opinion protesters shouldn't even be dealt with, leave ammuniton not even with any force.
Let them yell out their lungs and disband after few hours.
If things get rough, surely a shield wall and pressurized water is enough

Right, Egypt tried that, but they persisted for days. But then Mubarak ruined it by hiring those goons to ride in on horseback with whips in hand. The 'leave them to it' tactic didn't work, and I doubt a shield wall and pressurised water would have done the Egyptian government much good.

Oh, and fire the guns in the air at an angle. So that it might come down onto a building or something, not straight back onto your head.

[Azunite]

You don't know that. You'd have to teach mathemathics to your soldiers and well they cant do any calculation or such there. It could also hit a women by the buildings.

[embers]

You don't know that. You'd have to teach mathemathics to your soldiers and well they cant do any calculation or such there. It could also hit a women by the buildings.

It's not hard to point something anywhere that isn't strictly horizontal or strictly vertical. But true that to the women bit.