Mubarak Resigns

Posted by BooMan | Feb 11, 2011 | 52 |

Egypt’s new Vice President Omar Suleiman just appeared on Egyptian television and announced that Hosni Mubarak has resigned and placed control of the country in the hands of the “higher council of the armed forces.” There was instant bedlam and rampant celebration on the streets of Cairo, and no doubt many of the other cities and towns of Egypt.

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BooMan

Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.

52 Comments

Oui on February 11, 2011 at 11:34 am

.
Egyptians hold ‘Farewell Friday’

At last .. FREEDOM at last!

May de Egytian people enjoy and benefit from this historic moment and with little bloodshed. Revolution of Egypt’s people. All credit due foremost to President Obama and a few leaders from Western Europe. May this freedom become part of peace in the Middle-East. Other leaders have shown their fear and face of fascism. Jerusalem weeps.

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
- Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 11:40 am
  
  Love, love it.
  
  Oppressors of human rights, beware.
  
  I really, really want to believe this, New Obama Doctrine:
  
  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/11/egyptian-protests-obama-doctrine
  - Brendan Skwire on February 11, 2011 at 11:49 am
    
    Anyone who think Omar Suleiman isn’t “an oppresor of human rights” might want to do some research:
    
    Shortly after 9/11, Australian citizen Mamdouh Habib was captured by Pakistani security forces and, under US pressure, torture by Pakistanis. He was then rendered (with an Australian diplomats watching) by CIA operatives to Egypt, a not uncommon practice. In Egypt, Habib merited Suleiman’s personal attention. As related by Richard Neville, based on Habib’s memoir:
    
    Habib was interrogated by the country’s Intelligence Director, General Omar Suleiman…. Suleiman took a personal interest in anyone suspected of links with Al Qaeda. As Habib had visited Afghanistan shortly before 9/11, he was under suspicion. Habib was repeatedly zapped with high-voltage electricity, immersed in water up to his nostrils, beaten, his fingers were broken and he was hung from metal hooks.
    
    That treatment wasn’t enough for Suleiman, so:
    
    To loosen Habib’s tongue, Suleiman ordered a guard to murder a gruesomely shackled Turkistan prisoner in front of Habib – and he did, with a vicious karate kick.
    
    After Suleiman’s men extracted Habib’s confession, he was transferred back to US custody, where he eventually was imprisoned at Guantanamo. His “confession” was then used as evidence in his Guantanamo trial.
    
    And there is shitloads more for anyone who uses google. So it’s “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
    - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 11:55 am
      
      I think Hillary and CIA were pushing for Suleiman, not necessarily Obama.
      
      And now the generals have taken over. Hopefully elections will follow.
      - anarchronarchist on February 11, 2011 at 12:04 pm
        
        ..compared to what a new Egyptian regime could say about us. In the end, millions more are free and if our already destroyed int’l reputation has to take some hits for that, I say it is worth it. We did stuff and we should have to face up to that.
        
        I think Obama is the uniquely best man to manage such revelations, so better this happen now.
        
        Here’s to hoping for a PEACEFUL spread of freedom in all directions, especially continuing EASTWARD.
      - Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 12:30 pm
        
        Hillary and CIA were pushing for Suleiman?
        
        They got him, too.
        
        The next act?
        
        Still being written.
        
        AG
      - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 12:42 pm
        
        Suleiman is out. Paper tiger.
      - Brendan Skwire on February 11, 2011 at 12:51 pm
        
        suleiman’s out? citation please.
      - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 12:54 pm
        
        His own words. Military generals in charge.
      - Oui on February 11, 2011 at 5:36 pm
        
        .
        
        Defense Minister Mohamed Tantawi most powerful man in Egypt for now
        
        Suleiman gave a brief statement on Egyptian state-owned television announcing that Mubarak had formally stepped down and assigned the “higher council of the armed forces to run the affairs of the country.” In a telling indicator of the new power hierarchy, the primary spokesman for Egypt’s armed forces was standing directly behind Suleiman as the vice president announced the military council had supplanted him as the country’s top authority.
        
        “This gives us a bit more insight into what happened yesterday: there was some kind of power struggle going on, and Tantawi won,” said Joshua Stacher, an Egypt expert at Kent State University who lived in the country for nine years. “Omar Suleiman isn’t in control anymore. This is now a military government.”
        
        The changes mean that Tantawi is the country’s day-to-day ruler, sitting at the helm of a provisional government made up almost entirely of senior Egyptian generals. There were unconfirmed reports that Tantawi planned to bring the head of Egypt’s supreme constitutional court into his ruling council, which is expected to fire the remainder of Mubarak’s cabinet and suspend both houses of Egypt’s parliament.
        
        Omar Suleiman, Pat Lang’s friend at intelligence for 20-years
        
        "But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
      - TarheelDem on February 11, 2011 at 12:53 pm
        
        It’s not over until it’s over, AG. What happens very much depends on how many people remain in Tahrir Square and other sit-in sites until the other six demands of the protesters are met. The protesters are driving the military, who are scrambling now to keep up. That speaks to bottom-up pressure within the military itself. Premature declarations of victory by the protesters could put them in a bind with respect to the public. Re-emphasizing the other six demands is what continues to give the protest its legitimacy with the people. The end state of those demands is a parliamentary state in which the parliament elects the head of state. And free elections in a system open to all parties. That will require a lot of hard work and patient determination by the protesters in order to pull off. This bunch has the smarts and the determination that they might make it against the odds.
      - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 1:06 pm
        
        We don’t know what the future will look like, but when Egyptians hold up flags of Facebook, and heros are google executives, something has changed. Doesn’t matter what ethnic group you belong to.
        
        Google, Facebook, blogs, Twitter have all be a part of this revolution.
        
        If I had money to invest, I would put it on the young revolutionaries of the Egyptian people. BUT who knows. A new improved form of governance might be created. One that is unique and better than ever imagined. Maybe capitalism is dead as well. We cannot know the future.
        
        Who would have imagined a peaceful revolution that unseated a pharaoh in less than a few days. No one BUT a million Egyptians.
      - Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 1:28 pm
        
        I want to add this thought:
        
        Doing the Pravda dance with the hypnomedia…that’s where you mine a nugget of truth out of a shitstorm of bullshit…it is beginning to appear to me that Hillary Clinton and her left-wing-of-the-right-wing/PermaGov/CIA allies were beaten by Obama’s moves. If this is true…understand, there are still layers upon layers of further bullshit yet to be examined and the whole executive branch might just be playing the good cop/bad cop game and/or covering all of the bases so that whatever happens can be spun as a victory for the U.S…but if this is true it threatens Obama’s standing vis-à-vis said PermaGov. He may have betrayed certain sub rosa promises that he made pre-campaign, promises that helped him get elected. If we soon see a series of moves to discredit him…on any level, from sexual innuendo right on through “unexpected” opposition from people who have heretofore been considered his allies or equally unexpected leaks of some sort…well then, there we jolly well are, aren’t we.
        
        Just sayin’…
        
        It’s a big ship, and what goes on in the Captain’s cabin is not always exactly what’s going on in the bridge or the engine room.
        
        Just sayin’…
        
        AG
      - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 2:05 pm
        
        Agree.
    - Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 12:28 pm
      
      Not “the same as the old boss” if only because the people of Egypt fired a preemptive shot across his bows by what they did to Mubarak. he’s going to have to be very, very careful or he’ll wake up one day to see the same stuff happening in Tharir Square. It’ll be “Groundhog Day” all over again.
      
      Plus…at least publicly, Obama has said some very strong things regarding human rights in Egypt. Like what? Like the following.
      What is being called The Obama Doctrine”:
      
      The United States has been clear that we stand for a set of core principles. We believe the universal rights of the Egyptian people must be respected, and their aspirations must be met. We believe this transition must immediately demonstrate irreversible political change, and a negotiated path to democracy.
      
      To that end, we believe that the emergency law should be lifted. We believe that meaningful negotiations with the broad opposition and Egyptian civil society should address the key questions confronting Egypt’s future: protecting the fundamental rights of all citizens; revising the constitution and other laws to demonstrate irreversible change; and jointly developing a clear roadmap to elections that are free and fair…
      
      A new generation has emerged. They have made it clear that Egypt must reflect their hopes, fulfil their highest aspirations, and tap their boundless potential. In these difficult times, I know that the Egyptian people will persevere, and they must know that they will continue to have a friend in the United States of America.
      
      Strong words.
      
      Can he back them up?
      
      I dunno.
      
      Is Mubarak still in charge? What do you think?
      
      Nope.
      
      Maybe he can. Maybe he already has.
      
      Are there other strings being pulled beneath the table by American interests?
      
      Bet on it.
      
      Is Obama in charge…in control…of all of the string pullers?
      
      Not a chance. Reference official American representative Frank Wisner Jr.’s words after “meeting” with Mubarak last week for more on that subject.
      
      The President must stay in office to steer those changes. I believe President Mubarak’s continued leadership is crucial – it’s his chance to write his own legacy.
      
      Nice move. If you’re a spook.
      
      But Obama’s words have put a public face on something that cannot be totally undercut by American interests without serious consequences for U.S. relations with the rest of the Islamic world.
      
      May you be born(e) into interesting times.
      
      Obama has been.
      
      Bet on that as well.
      
      Later…
      
      AG
      - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 12:34 pm
        
        The difference between this revolution and all others, is the social networks.
        
        We all live in a fishbowl. World will never be the same….unless we all loose power. <G>
        
        Heaven forbid.
  - Hurria on February 11, 2011 at 12:07 pm
    
    It’s just offensive to give “all credit foremost” to Obama or any other western politician. This revolution is entirely the doing of the Egyptian people, not Obama. It was the Egyptian people who started it, and who refused to back down until “America’s son of a bitch” finally stepped down, not Obama. Obama did what American politicians always do; he played the political game from the comfort and safety of the Presidential mansion, taking moves he hoped would serve America’s interests. Big f***ing deal.
    
    All credit due from beginning to end to the Egyptian people, not to foreign politicians persuing their own endes.
    - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 12:22 pm
      
      That is NOT what the article said.
      - Hurria on February 11, 2011 at 1:19 pm
        
        No, it’s word for word what Oui said: “All credit due foremost to President Obama and a few leaders from Western Europe.“
        
        No credit is due to any western politician. All credit is due to the Egyptian people.
        
        THIS IS NOT ABOUT AMERICA. THIS IS NOT ABOUT OBAMA. THIS IS ALL ABOUT EGYPT AND THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE.
      - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 1:56 pm
        
        I usually agree with everything you have written, but I think this was a perfect moment in history where many events came together for a revolution’s birth.
        
        And one aspect was Obama, and social networks, al jazeer coverage, and a hundred other incidents. THIS DOES NOT negate ANY of the credit due to the brave people of Egypt.
        
        And I also think there was a split in the WH between Zionists/CIA/Clinton/StateDept cabal and Obama.
        
        Human rights won. Egyptians are the leaders, hopefully the world will follow.
        
        The pyramid has collapsed.
      - Hurria on February 11, 2011 at 4:10 pm
        
        This would have happened regardless of what Obama said or did or did not say or did not do.
        
        I am sick and tired of liberals and progressives rushing to take credit, even partial credit, for the accomplishments of others. Don’t rob the Egyptians (or the Tunisians of their due by pretending Obama had a part in their success. It was the Egyptian people who did this. Obama went along for the ride.
      - Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 4:58 pm
        
        True.
    - Oui on February 11, 2011 at 12:36 pm
      
      .
      the first seconds I heard the chants and celebrations from LIVE views in Cairo. In the context of American politics and European double-faced policy I credit Obama for his unquivocal stance with the people of Egypt. Suleiman should know he will play no role in the transition period. The power is transfered to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. President Mubarak was left out yesterday when the military leaders met, Suleiman has never been part of the military leadership as far as I know. You must know my personal opinion about Egypt’s revolution from my diaries … Oui
      
      "But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
    - Geov Parrish on February 11, 2011 at 12:56 pm
      
      One minor correction: a bit of the credit must also go to the people of their Tunisia; their successful revolution was instrumental in sparking the one in Egypt. But yes, it was the Egyptian people who risked their lives, and in some cases gave it, for this moment.
      
      To be honest, we don’t have a clue as to what, if any, influence Obama had in this process. We may not know for years. But we do know, now, for a fact, that the Egyptian masses have inspired freedom-loving people around the world. Not Obama. The Egyptians.
      - Hurria on February 11, 2011 at 1:23 pm
        
        Agreed regarding the Tunisians!
        
        Obama played the game mostly right, but I don’t see any way he could have changed the ultimate outcome. The Egyptian people displayed a level of sumood – determination and persistence – that would have won out eventually no matter what Obama did, said, or did not do or say.
      - Geov Parrish on February 11, 2011 at 2:35 pm
        
        Absolutely. As a longtime community and protest organizer, I was awestruck by the self-discipline of the Egyptians. American protesters of whatever stripe can learn a lot from the last three weeks.
    - TarheelDem on February 11, 2011 at 1:05 pm
      
      I agree very much with your last sentence. The protesters have had the smartest, most disciplined, most determined direct action since the US civil rights movement of the 1960s. And probably better organized because of the much larger numbers they turned out.
      
      Some credit, like in most revolutions, goes to the rank-and-file military whose restraint and de facto alliance with the protesters put the senior military in a box. And the senior military had the good sense to not fracture the military through inaction, which could very well have led to a junior officer coup. Or could have resulted in major bloodshed on the streets.
      
      But above all, credit is due the the huge population that did not show up at the protests but had the patience to let the situation move forward.
      
      What events have proven is that the US no longer has the international clout to swing its weight unilaterally or in concert with other nations and affect domestic events in another country one way or the other. If you are a patriotic American, you should be thankful for that loss of power and the hubris associated with it.
      - Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 1:30 pm
        
        Right on the money.
        
        AG
      - Hurria on February 11, 2011 at 4:06 pm
        
        Agree 120%
bologna on February 11, 2011 at 11:38 am

The live stream from Egypt absolutely must be watched.

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
- ask on February 11, 2011 at 11:47 am
  
  Agree.
  I’m ‘stuck’ at work – glued to the screen (it’s almost 6 pm here). Difficult to leave for the commute at the moment…
  - bologna on February 11, 2011 at 12:57 pm
    
    You’re in Egypt?
    - ask on February 11, 2011 at 7:28 pm
      
      Oh no. In Geneva. Sorry if that was the impression.
anarchronarchist on February 11, 2011 at 11:42 am

Democracy! Whiskey! Sexy! [Military Rule!]
- Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 11:57 am
  
  ….not quite the same as our military.
  
  From the very first day, they said they would not fire on peaceful demonstrators. It could have gone a different way.
Steven D on February 11, 2011 at 11:44 am

And blame Obama for promoting an Islamist state. Read the comment threads:

Link

Link (It’s Obama;’s Iran!!!!)

LINK ( I love the one connecting Code Pink to the Muslim Brotherhood.)
- anarchronarchist on February 11, 2011 at 12:06 pm
  
  Freedom is spread at the end of a gun and under a jackboot, or didn’t you know?
  
  They’ve been abusing the term so long, the Repugs simply don’t know what Freedom actually looks like.
- Geov Parrish on February 11, 2011 at 12:58 pm
  
  The Code Pink/MB “connection” has been a recent Glenn Beck talking point. William Ayers is somehow involved, too. Really.
Hurria on February 11, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Power to the people and all that! Suleiman the torturer has to go now.

Let’s just hope we don’t end up with yet another FOA (Friend of America, aka “our son of a bitch”) wielding an iron fist. I see potential for a nice, America-and-Israel-friendly military dictatorship. That would not be in the interest of the Egyptian people. It would also not be in the real interest of Israel or the USA.
- anarchronarchist on February 11, 2011 at 12:16 pm
  
  US Cable ‘news’ stations are floating Ghonim as a new Presidential option and cutting live coverage every time the local crowd starts chanting ‘Allah Akbar’ – even cutting their correspondents off mid-sentence. This can be read as an attempt to salve our fears rather than just report. Our media is in such a very, very sad state that they seem to have lost the ability just cover the news.
  - Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 12:38 pm
    
    Last night I was curious about how the mainstream news would cover what’s going on so I tuned into ABC’s Nightline.
    
    Five relatively non-committal minutes on Egypt followed by at least fifteen minutes…I turned it off in disgust…of an “in depth” interview with the actress Annette Bening. I suppose they followed that (frequently interspersed w/ads for poisonous pharmacologicals, luxury automobiles and the like) with a quick reference to Justin Bieber and then goodnight.
    
    Sick shit.
    
    Keeps Omerticans from turning Times Square into Tahrir Square, though.
    
    Bet on it.
    
    AG
    - anarchronarchist on February 11, 2011 at 1:14 pm
      
      It is interesting to compare the Patriot Act to Egypt’s ‘Emergency Laws’. I wonder if it will really take 30 years for us to notice. Future American Presidents will constantly be tempted to take and hold dictatorial power, which I assume was the neo-con plan since they have so quickly and overtly ‘projected’ (as in the psych term) that will upon President Obama.
      
      How many of the ‘Ten Easy Steps to Fascism’ can you say describe contemporary America?
      
      Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
      
      Create a gulag
      
      Develop a thug caste
      
      Set up an internal surveillance system
      
      Harass citizens’ groups
      
      Engage in arbitrary detention and release
      
      Target key individuals
      
      Control the press
      
      Dissent equals treason
      
      Suspend the rule of law
      
      http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/24/usa.comment
      
      It’s embarrassing how little American’s care about their own freedom, or understand it’s true source, given what is obviously at the core of human nature in the rest of the world. Those who most wrap themselves in the flag and constitution seem to have the least grasp of it’s defining nature:
      
      Our freedom is simply from the people and for the people. It does NOT come from the ten commandments or our Founding Fathers or any other pro-Fascist memes.
      
      To contend otherwise is to wish for fascism and/or disenfranchisement.
      
      Egypt thusfar is a great demonstration of how government for the people and by the people is different and vastly preferential from the above.
  - Geov Parrish on February 11, 2011 at 1:03 pm
    
    I tried the ABC coverage of Mubarak’s resignation this morning and it was beyond dreadful. No mention of the armed forces assuming power. With a half-screen shot of Tahrir Square’s wild celebration (no audio, natch) we learned that “tens of thousands” were “protesting,” while doing a reaction interview with some other ABC News talking head who clearly didn’t know the first thing about Egypt, nor much care. Lord, no wonder so many are so ignorant.
- Mattes on February 11, 2011 at 12:30 pm
  
  Swiss just froze Mubarak $$$$$.
  - anarchronarchist on February 11, 2011 at 1:18 pm
    
    Every Egyptian gets their share – some say as much as $3000!
    
    Least likely thing in the world?
- Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 12:40 pm
  
  You’ve got that right!
  
  This is a several act play.
  
  Next act?
  
  We shall see.
  
  Soon.
  
  AG
Chris Bellomy on February 11, 2011 at 12:04 pm

HOW DARE THEY OVERTHROW A DICTATOR WITHOUT OUR INVADING FIRST!

Signed,
Bill Kristol
seabe on February 11, 2011 at 12:18 pm

“Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring–when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children–black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics–will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: ‘Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
on February 11, 2011 at 1:09 pm

And what does this mean? I have no idea.

Putin is not President of Russia. He is Prime Minister, and oddly enough many of the powers of the President are now vested in the Prime Minister.

When Mubarak is shown in handcuffs or with his head physically removed, and when his son is in prison, I will believe this. Until then, it is likely to be Kabuki theatre of government change.
Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 8:28 pm

…the only way that I can access Al Jazeera on Direct TV.

And I am in tears.

God protect these people.

It ain’t over until it’s over. And it ain’t over yet.

It is so good to see vast masses of people…young people, mostly, people in their 20s and early 30s, it looks like…truly, viscerally happy about a political result.

God bless them all.

They’re gonna need it.

Would that I live to see the same thing here in the U.S.

AG
Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 9:00 pm

Check it out:

Perhaps most vulnerable is Jordan. The pro-western Kingdom has a population dominated by refugees from Palestine and their descendants, who make up 60%.

The local Arabs, and the Bedouin tribes especially, have been the bedrock of the monarchy. Last week, the rock wobbled.

Leaders from 36 tribes, who supply all but a tiny minority of the Jordanian armed forces which have kept the ruling Hashemites in power since the Second World War, issued a statement which would have been unthinkable three weeks ago.

They accused Queen Rania, an ethnic Palestinian, of building up her own power bases that “go against what Jordanians and Hashemites have agreed on in governing” this, they warned was “a danger to the nation and the structure the state… and the institution of the throne”.

But this may not be enough, even oil rich Algeria has failed to keep a lid on things. This week a group of men stabbed themselves in a symbolic act of protest and opposition groups have promised a weekend of ‘rage’.

Even Syria, which has been ruled with an iron grip for more than 40 years by the Baath party and dominated by the Assad family, is facing widespread demonstrations.

Both Syria and Algeria have fought hard to stifle Islamic movements which threatened the regime in the past. And it should not be be assumed that a majority of demonstrators anywhere in the region want to see is the replacement of autocracy with Sharia law.

Yup.

How long before this movement hits home in the U.S.?

I wonder…

Detroit falls first?

Maybe.

AG
- Arthur Gilroy on February 11, 2011 at 9:07 pm
  
  Bet on it.
  
  Watch.
  
  AG

Mubarak Resigns

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