Unrest in Egypt (and the surrounding area)

I have actually known people from some other forums who have built home made flamethrowers and cannons and stuff. They even showed pictures of them. Believe it or not, in many parts of the US its legal to own high powered weapons, flame throwers and cannons and stuff. If you could afford it, it is even legal to own tanks. It is actually very easy to go out and buy body armor and an assault rifle and boom, your equipped like a solider yourself. It would only cost you a 1000-2000 dollars. Armor piercing rounds are legal in most places too.

People in the US are nuts. You don't want to see that sort of stuff break out here in the US, people will die and our army has no way to stop them.

This whole situation is exposing Washington for the beast it really is. They're encouraging Mubarak to hang on, and pretty soon the protesters are going to be so worn out they'll accept the next puppet that's offered to them. By the sounds of what Hillary is saying, Suleiman is Washington's next favourite. The people need to do something fast. I fear this is not going to work out very well in the people's favour if they do not FORCE him out.

Washington is making clear signs that they want Mubarak to go...

I'd argue differently. They've atleast been tacitly enocuraging him to hang on. If they really supported democracy in foreign countries, since day 1 they would have been condemning Mubarak's choice not to step down immediately. Can you think of a better reason why they would not be harshly condemning his actions in every public statement? I think the reason is to wear the protesters out, so the movement loses momentum. If that happens it's much more likely for the Egyptian people to accept another puppet.

If they've made any such clear signs they want him to go they've been extremely weak, unqualified, and overall not convincing at all. If anything it's probably to pacify the American masses to make it look like the US government supports what the people of Egypt are doing. I mean, they obviously acknowledge he needs to leave eventually, but its clear to me at least dragging it out is something in their interests. Just my two cents.

They can't really turn against him, or the other dictators in the world we support will know that we don't actually care about them.

(Possibly) worse times on the horizon, after that inflammatory speech by Mubarak. I can't imagine what's going to happen now...

There's something fishy going on. What im seeing on the news is so heavily contradicting with images i see, i cant help but think our media is either in control or purely getting its information from american capitalists.

Elaborate? :/

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Originally Posted by Dthoughts

There's something fishy going on. What im seeing on the news is so heavily contradicting with images i see, i cant help but think our media is either in control or purely getting its information from american capitalists.

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Originally Posted by Xei

Elaborate? :/

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Yes. Please do.

From what I've gathered, out of the phone call with the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, is that Mubarak has "stepped down" only in the sense that he has 'delegated authority' (which has been a phrase danced around and left vague, even by the ambassador) to Vice President Suleiman, who is said to be nothing more than a 'twin' of Mubarak himself. Mubarak hasn't shown himself to be in a position that completely denies even himself power. Even the ambassador refused to answer the question of whether or not Mubarak retains the authority to retake all power, at a time of his choosing. Face to face interviews with people that are actually in the square are pretty much confirming that what Mubarak did was not enough, and restating (in their own words) what the media has told us (or, at least, what CNN has said. I haven't checked any other outlets on the speech yet).

It's basically the equivalent of the entire country storming the White House and demanding for the entire Obama Administration to leave office now, and then Washington releasing a statement saying that Obama is going to 'delegate authority' to the Vice President (who is a part of that administration), without saying whether or not he will actually be retaining any sort of power for himself.

But if this is a misinterpretation, please let me know what you're seeing, from your side?

I heard that Omar Suleiman is also the head of the country's secret police, don't know if that's true though. If it is, then like Oneironaut says, I don't think he'll be any better for the Egyptian people than Mubarak. :P

So Mubarak isn't stepping down (until September).

I really hope he doesn't expect to stay in office for another 7 months.

Tomorrow is looking like the day when things come to a head. Mubarak's statement was both a tacit expression that he believes he has consolidated his position (I'm not sure what O means by 'inflammatory speech' though), and he looks to be trying to manufacture the event that will confirm that consolidation: tomorrow there will be more than ever on the streets, and this time they will be looking to up the game, to the extent that the army can no longer remain a neutral party.

Interesting fact: Mubarak's personal wealth is more than 40 billion dollars. From what exactly? It's almost comical.

You would think he would just take his money and leave. It doesn't work like that though. Once you been the dictator of a country for 30 years, it isn't about money, its all about power.

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Originally Posted by Xei

(I'm not sure what O means by 'inflammatory speech' though)

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I mean that in the sense that his speech was exactly the opposite of what the people protesting in the square (along with the C.I.A.) were expecting him to come out and say. It was inflammatory in the sense that Mubarak knows damn good and well what the people are asking for, and he's not only ignoring their demand that he leave (not ambiguously 'delegate power', but leave), but he's insulting the Egyptian people by saying that the charges against him aren't those of the Egyptian people, but simply those of international influence. He is basically sticking his fingers in his ears and going "LA LA LA LA LA" and trying to barter his way out of completely relinquishing power.

There is no way he going to leave, I think his actions are clear by now. Either people are going to have to go into the presidential palace and physically drag him out, or there is going to need to be a military coup.

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Originally Posted by Alric

There is no way he going to leave, I think his actions are clear by now. Either people are going to have to go into the presidential palace and physically drag him out, or there is going to need to be a military coup.

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I think it'll either end up with Mubarak being dragged out (either by citizens or military), or by him getting the fuck out because, you know, getting lynched kinda sucks.

this guy mubarak is really an ass. when i clicked on the news and saw he was not leaving until semptember all i could think was what an asshole. maybe he hasnt seen how serious these egyptians are...hopefully USA does the right thing. i also get the feeling that mubarak and israel and us are all in collusion or something..

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Originally Posted by Xei

Interesting fact: Mubarak's personal wealth is more than 40 billion dollars. From what exactly? It's almost comical.

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Apparently the US gives 1.3 billion dollars every year in military aid to Egypt. Could he have been keeping some of that for himself?

Hopefully the USA does nothing and lets the Egyptians sort out their problems themselves...


Also I think Mubarak will die of natural causes before anything, he's in his eighties...

... lets start a pool?

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Originally Posted by Spartiate

... lets start a pool?

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I bet £20 he slips in the shower!

Give a date.

I say he's out on the 25th of the month.

The 14th of February, Valentine's day. A day of love, and.... death.

If this actually happens, I will go crazy. :panic:

A week. Maybe.

Mubarak has just stepped down and left Cairo. Wow.

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Originally Posted by Oneironaut

Mubarak has just stepped down and left Cairo. Wow.

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So much for slipping in the shower. :(