Mubarak Out, New Puppet In

Don · Feb 10, 2011

NBC News reports that Hosni Mubarak's resigning tonight, turning the reins over to Omar Suleiman, vice-president, former army general and intelligence chief, and first choice of the current US administration.

In related news, The Telegraph reports that documents released by WikiLeaks indicate that Egypt's secret police (SSIS) received training at the FBI, "despite allegations that they routinely tortured detainees and suppressed political opposition."

And the training operation was apparently headed by John Pistole, current head of the TSA, who was "praised for his 'excellent and strong' cooperation with the SSIS."

robeiae · Feb 10, 2011

Don said:
In related news, The Telegraph reports that documents released by WikiLeaks indicate that Egypt's secret police (SSIS) received training at the FBI, "despite allegations that they routinely tortured detainees and suppressed political opposition."

Wait, they received training from the FBI, therefore....what, exactly?

Good story...

darkprincealain · Feb 10, 2011

The new guy has almost the same last name as the Octomom. Welcome to the OctoEgypt regime.

Noah Body · Feb 10, 2011

Odd, I just read in another article that the military is going to assume custodial leadership, and that the VP was on the out list as well...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/world/middleeast/11egypt.html?_r=2

citymouse · Feb 10, 2011

Noah Body said:
Odd, I just read in another article that the military is going to assume custodial leadership, and that the VP was on the out list as well...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/11/world/middleeast/11egypt.html?_r=2

That would make sense. Suleiman won't be tolerated by the street because he's seen as a HM clone. True, he comes from the military, but that won't hold much water with most of the country shut down by strikes. My guess is the army will pick a caretaker until the Sept elections. If they don't come off as scheduled you'll see a repeat, or at least an attempted repeat, of these last weeks. Keep your fingers crossed.

mscelina · Feb 10, 2011

That's what I'm hearing too, Noah. The army is going to control the country for the period of time it takes to hold elections and that there will be no interim government. Like maybe eight months.

Slushie · Feb 10, 2011

Well apparently Egypt's military is general well-respected in the country.

But still I'm kind of skeptical about a military that will be 'temporarily taking over until...'.

mscelina · Feb 10, 2011

And I just heard on the news that Mubarek is NOT relinquishing power. God help those people in that square if he announces he's staying in. The bloodbath would be horrific.

Noah Body · Feb 10, 2011

Well, the merry-go-round ride continues.

Don · Feb 10, 2011

That'll teach me to go to the grocery store.

Sounds like everything's up in the air at the moment.

Bird of Prey · Feb 10, 2011

Oh no. I've been listening to his speech. It certainly doesn't sound like he's going to step down. What an incredible jerk. . . .

Noah Body · Feb 10, 2011

Hosni's rarely been described as anything else, I understand.

LOG · Feb 10, 2011

mscelina said:
And I just heard on the news that Mubarek is NOT relinquishing power. God help those people in that square if he announces he's staying in. The bloodbath would be horrific.

Assuming he can convince the military to take them out, they've been rather reticent in stopping the protesters so far.

Cranky · Feb 10, 2011

LOG said:
Assuming he can convince the military to take them out, they've been rather reticent in stopping the protesters so far.

Yeah. I'm kind of pinning my hopes on that, actually. What a cluster.

mscelina · Feb 10, 2011

Hopefully, this doesn't turn into a big ol' riot, but I'm not banking on it. Mubarak's biggest mistake? "I will not leave Egypt until I am buried in Egyptian soil."

Way to give them some ideas.

That crowd is getting really pissed off. This may be about to turn very, very ugly.

Noah Body · Feb 10, 2011

Apparently, he's transferred power to the Egyptian VP.

Cranky · Feb 10, 2011

Jeebus crisp, sometimes I hate the internet. WTH is going on, for real? We don't know yet, I guess.

Noah Body · Feb 10, 2011

Yeah, everyone's trying to scoop everyone else, so what's really going down is anyone's guess.

citymouse · Feb 10, 2011

Noah Body said:
Apparently, he's transferred power to the Egyptian VP.

The VP already has all the presidential powers except the big ones, 1) to dissolve parliament, 2) alter the constitution 3) dissolve the cabinet.
HB won't go unless the army supports the street. Unlikely, because the street hasn't formed around an acceptable (to the army) party candidate.

dageezer · Feb 10, 2011

Noah Body said:
Apparently, he's transferred power to the Egyptian VP.

Buzz word is SOME power. How much power and which powers are yet to be seen.

mscelina · Feb 10, 2011

In the end, it doesn't really matter. The protesters don't trust Salieman any more than they do Mubarak. I'm watching this crowd right now, with the police lining up around the square and the obvious anger building there, and I'm really hoping the situation gets under control.

Noah Body · Feb 10, 2011

Or perhaps he's transferred none. The media doesn't know what it's reporting yet. So he might have transferred all, some, none, or maybe just gave him some advice. Who knows?

21 Classics · Feb 10, 2011

Those crowds are getting angry.

blacbird · Feb 10, 2011

Mubarak not out. And even if he did resign, the "replacement" ain't about to mollify the populace protesting.

Mara · Feb 10, 2011

Some people on CNN have speculated that Mubarak may have intentionally leaked the rumors to get everyone to the square and emotional, then said this to intentionally cause them to get violent in order to justify using force against them. I could definitely believe that.

Mubarak Out, New Puppet In

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