Well, not yet, but it is only a matter of time.
EDIT - You read it here first! - END EDIT
The army has been called into quell the protests and he was supposed to make a speech on Egyptian TV - a speech that has been postponed.
It seems that Mubarak's primary backer has pulled out - Brian Whittaker from The Guardian describes his view of the US position, which if true more or less means they no longer think Mubarak will be in power for long:
It looks to me as if Clinton is angling for a negotiated departure by Mubarak, accompanied by an increase in political freedom. I think the US is aiming to structure the solution in a way that would protect its key interests: the peace treaty with Israel, the Suez canal, and co-operation against terrorism.
The other main backer of the regime would be the army, but there have been reports where atleast some from the army have failed or refused to crackdown on protesters, in places members of the armed forces shook hands with protesters, in other parts, they have been cheered on the same protesters.
So it seems they are trying to make the best of it for themselves, angling for a new regime that is close enough to the old regime where their interests lie. Now its good to mention freedoms etc, but giving people freedoms will mean that the aspirations of the people will clash with the aspirations of the US and Israel, so what they really want is a new regime which has had a cosmetic makeover and is identical to the old regime.
But that is all after the fact. First, the wobble has to be turned into a fall and that is where the Egyptians need to do something that they have not managed to do in a long long time.
EDIT - new posts on twitter suggest that protesters have managed storm the Egyptian state TV station. If that has happened, it really could be game over - he controls the voice of the nation controls the nation. Or something like that. Let's see if they can get onto air.
EDIT 2 - New reports the army has dispersed the crowds that had stormed the TV station and the station had managed to stay on air through out giving the official government view (including what I read earlier, its suggestion that there were no crowds gathered outside...)
Comments
They tried banning internet and mobile usage but clearly that didn't stop them!
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
You've watched Braveheart right?
"you can take our internet connections and out mobile phone networks, but you can't take away our FREEDOM!"
(no, I haven't watched Braveheart...)
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
From Breaking News on Twitter:
Egyptian army ordered onto the streets, but they do NOT appear to be taking any action against protesters -NBC's Richard Engel
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Why do people not learn from history?
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Interesting. Link to an article suggesting the same: http://www.afrol.com/articles/37164
Chief of staff of Egyptian Army was in Washington and is now on his way back. I wonder if he has been given his orders... or will he seal the fate of the current regime?
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
In the live speech of Mubarak now, he has just sacked his government, saying there will be a new government tomorrow. (WOOT! WOOT!)
It will just be a shuffling of the chairs, a case of "meet the new government, its the same as the old one" but he says he will stay. I doubt that will be possible. He is a dead man walking.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
i've just been reminded by someone of the whole "raising against muslim leaders" and well.. its a no no.
so..i know i dont live there and dont know the real situation (who does?) or the standard of living etc.. but... no.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
I was watching AL Jazeera a little earlier and they had an interview with someone from the Muslim Brotherhood.
The guy got asked quite a simple question "in all these protests, where are the Muslim Brotherhood?" and he kind of floundered, as while the Muslim Brotherhood are normally seen as the opposition to the regime, they have/had been able to have almost no impact on Mubarak's presidency and the current popular uprising is not linked to them at all - at the start they even went out of their way to tell people NOT to protest.
Just adding this if people from HT affiliated groups try to take ... credit ... from the uprising from normal Egyptians unaffiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood - they managed to do something the Brotherhood has failed to do.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
@Lilly - Mubarak got in after the assassination of Sadat, so that goes to show how abrupt change in power is not always good.
Omar Suleman, the intelligence chief, has been sworn in as the vice president. So now if Mubarak steps down, there will be a replacement ready.
However, being the intelligence chief, even though people respect him, surely he was the force between Mubarak's words before?
I don't see how he could be seen as a change in any way - according to Michael Moore, this is the same guy who ran the CIA's kidnapping/rendition program.
From an expert on BBC News: "There is a lot of nerviousness in Washington - these people on the streets are not our friends."
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
So can that hadith be applied here or not?
So its ok for people to be treated badly under a dictatorship etc? :S
Does anyone know anything else about this hadith, can you put it into context/explain it because that sounds wrong if it can be applied to every kind of ruler :S :/
(Of course not saying *it* is wrong or anything - just want to understand it)
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
It doesn't say it is ok.
It recognises leaders as human - with good sides and bad.
and it says it is not a religious prerogative to overthrow a leader if he has failings.
A process has started in Egypt. There will be consequences if it is completed or not completed - the better ones a possibility if it is completed (but not the only probably consequence), so now that it has started, it should be completed.
The consequence of not continuing now would most likely be brutal repression with the aim of not allowing things to develop to this stage in the future.
It's a pandoras box, with many negative consequences possible no matter happens, but in the box with all them, slighylt hidden are more positive outcomes that people are hoping for.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
ok, thanks, that makes a lot more sense.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Mubarak announces he will not stand again for re-election in the september elections.
Will that be enough to appease the protesters?
(and was it me but did the US in some ways announce that before he did?)
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
but we shouldnt hope for a domino effect in other islamic countries.
but in the news they mentionned something about *maybe* (HOPEFULLY) Palestine rising! yeah..something about Israel being on their guards...
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Why not?!
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Muslims are not suppose to rise against their leaders until they drop prayer = not muslims anymore.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
yup.
But once something has started, going back will also have consequences.
If the regime survives now that people have stood up, the backlash could be brutal and organised.
Then again the replacement could also turn out to be bad, but there is a chance for hope there.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
thats where we pray REALLY REALLY REALLY hard.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
wouah...
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
doesn't that mean you don't have to do it?
But yeh I get it - it's not allowed. (that's all I get though. So I won't be spreading the fact around)
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
what else dont you understand?
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Why bad people are allowed to get away with bad things just cuz they're praying Muslims.
I am not saying it is wrong, or the hadith is wrong or anything of the like. I simply want to understand the wisdom behind it.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
i think its a case of, if people start rising against their leaders it would create chaos etc...
whereas there is a way out for muslims even under a bad leader; patience and its reward.
there must be more, should research it? let us know if you find anything?
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
An alternative is fixed terms where a leader is "signed up" to lead for a specific period of time and after that time the people can cast their vote to decide if they want to keep that leader or choose a different one.
(giving a leader preconditions is allowed - hadhrat abu bakr (ra) had the precondition set to hadhrat Umr (ra) that he continue the conquest of Mesopotamia/Iraq.)
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
A 15% payrise for civil servants has been announced in Egypt. It will kick in in April
I was reading elsewhere that there was a sort of revolution in Argentina and Bolivia soon after they followed advice from the IMF on fiscal policy, and that in 2005, Egypt also restructured some things at the request of the IMF. Linked?
It seems that IMF stands for Incompetent Monetary Fund.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
sounds reasonable, chosen by the people?
well..we cant really do it the way the Caliphs did: power for life and passing it on to someone trustworthy. all the religious people who would be honest and godfearing nowadays wouldnt stand up to take up this job.
ahh man..it was soo awesome back in the days..with the different governors that the people could go to for anything they needed. and how caliph Umar (ra) once told one of his governors to give his money away, just so that he'll stay humble and not think he had special privilege.
during that time, they use to see this as a burden, (being in authority) and a heavy responsibility, not something where you get lots of cash fast and you're above the rest of the people...
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
An interesting leaked cable from 2008.
Guess who the preferred replacement for Mubarak is? Its the same person who has been made vice president.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
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