Egypt's Mubarak Resigns as Leader

[Abaddon]

(I know we already have a thread on Egypt, but I think this is enough of a development that demands a new thread since a lot said in that one is irrelevant now..)

Hosni Mubarak has stepped down as president of Egypt

The news was greeted with a huge outburst of joy and celebration by thousands in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the heart of the demonstrations. Mr Mubarak ruled for 30 years, suppressing dissent and protest, and jailing opponents. Announcing the resignation, Vice-President Omar Suleiman said the president had handed power to the army. Mr Suleiman said on state TV that the high command of the armed forces had taken over.

"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."

President Hosni Mubarak

* Elevated from vice-president when Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981
* Supported Sadat's policy of peace with Israel
* Maintained emergency law for entire presidency
* Won three elections unopposed
* Fourth term secured in 2005 after allowing rivals to stand
* Economic development led many Egyptians to accept continued rule
* Survived 1995 assassination attempt in Ethiopia
* Faced Islamist threat within Egypt, including Luxor massacre of 1997 and Sinai bombings
* Regularly suppressed dissent, protests and political opponents

Later an army officer read out a statement paying tribute to Mr Mubarak for "what he has given" to Egypt but acknowledging popular power.

"There is no legitimacy other than that of the people," the statement said.

The military high command is headed by Defence Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi. US diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks described Mr Tantawi as "aged and change-resistant", but committed to avoiding another war with Israel. 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 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 resignation but stopped short of stepping down, instead transferring most powers to Mr Suleiman. Protester: 'I'll tell my children we made this revolution possible' "The people have brought down the regime," they chanted in reaction to the news of his eventual resignation less than 24 hours later. Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei said: "This is the greatest day of my life."

"You cannot comprehend the amount of joy and happiness of every Egyptian at the restoration of our humanity and our freedom."

The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's banned Islamist opposition movement, paid tribute to the army for keeping its promises.

"I salute the Egyptian people and the martyrs. This is the day of victory for the Egyptian people. The main goal of the revolution has been achieved," said the Brotherhood's former parliamentary leader, Mohamed el-Katatni.

Ayman Nour, Mr Mubarak's rival for the presidency in 2005, described it as the greatest day in Egypt's history.

"This nation has been born again. These people have been born again, and this is a new Egypt," he told al-Jazeera TV.

So will the Army keep power, or will we see Democracy from this?

 

[GamezRule]

Is he really gone?

 

[Traitorfish]

So will the Army keep power, or will we see Democracy from this?

I think that depends on whether or not they can keep the protest movement going, which isn't something we can predict. I think the trade unions will be crucial in this- if they can organise effectively, then they could provide a strong popular counter-weight to Egypt's relatively cautious military.

 

[Tani Coyote]

Goodbye Mubarakula(I swear he reminds me of a vampire for some reason). You will not be missed.

Hopefully the army won't install a corrupt dictatorship and will maintain some level of democracy.

Let's hope this new government is willing to work with everyone, so long as they're treated as equals.

 

[bombshoo]

Well, it appears to be on the right track. Let's hope things stay this way. The Egyptian people appear to be optimistic about the situation, so I'm with them.

 

[JollyRoger]

I can't believe Obama let regime happen without the involvement of the U.S. military.

 

[GamezRule]

We will soon invade, dissolve the military, invite al-Qaeda, and write them a Pro-West constitution.

 

[dannyshenanigan]

I just heard Mubarak's Swiss bank account has been frozen.

edit: I should have said accounts

 

[Dachs]

He'd be a fool to have only one

 

[timtofly]

I just heard Mubarak's Swiss bank account has been frozen.

edit: I should have said accounts

Frozen to him or for him?

 

[Luckymoose]

He will just go up for election and be reelected by the idiotic Egyptians.

 

[Cutlass]

I've expected this for a few days. Now the real fun begins.

 

[NickyJ]

So will the Army keep power, or will we see Democracy from this?

I predict the army will retain power. Since the presidency (Or whatever form of government you want to call it) was established in Egypt, all of the acting presidents have been from the military. They've been on a streak of military leaders, so I doubt it will end now.

 

[dannyshenanigan]

Frozen to him or for him?

Frozen from him at the behest of the new Egyptian leadership to avoid risk of any further embezzlement.

 

[SuperJay]

ForeignPolicy.com has an interesting article called "The Anatomy of a Dictatorship," reviewing many of the atrocities committed by the Mubarak regime over the past three decades that it has clung to power. Fake elections, political repression, police brutality, minority persecution, torture, murder... the whole nine yards. (How anyone can support the Mubarak regime is beyond me.)

Torture: Once in the custody of the security forces, prisoners are often subject to "beatings, electric shocks, suspension in painful positions, forced standing for long periods, water-boarding, as well as rape and threatening to rape victims and their families," HRW reports. Over the last two decades, the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights has followed 460 torture cases, including 125 that led to death between 2000 and 2009 alone. Since 1992, 73 people have been "disappeared."

 

[Abaddon]

I hope a beautiful flower of democracy will be born. Somehow I doubt it since I've never seen a successful transition.

 

[Traitorfish]

Somehow I doubt it since I've never seen a successful transition.

How would you define "successful"? It'd have to be pretty strictly to come to such a conclusion.

I predict the military aristocracy will retain power. Since the monarchy (Or whatever form of government you want to call it) was established in England, all of the acting monarchs have been from the military aristocracy. They've been on a streak of aristocratic leaders, so I doubt it will end now.

*tamper tamper tamper*

 

[Mise]

Hurray! Now I will never have to hear another "in denial/in da nile" joke ever again!

 

[Karalysia]

I think all of you should be banned from ever talking about the following topics ever again: Egypt, Islam, the Middle East, democracy, Mubarak, Nasser,

 

[Incodcito]

I think that depends on whether or not they can keep the protest movement going, which isn't something we can predict. I think the trade unions will be crucial in this- if they can organise effectively, then they could provide a strong popular counter-weight to Egypt's relatively cautious military.

Bingo. If the movement dissolves into a bickering mass no longer united, the transition will not be that from a dictator to a democracy, but a succession from a civil dictatorship to a military one.