Mubarak's government tells him to step down?
A very interesting report from Twitter: Just had confirmed that Mubarak is still in Sharm El Sheikh, not taking advice from his own government to step down or leave the countryThe tweet came from Habiba Hamid, who is an editorial writer for The National - an Emirati newspaper.
In other news from Egypt, former IAEA chief and putative Mubarak rival Mohamed ElBaradei has returned to Egypt and called on Hosni Mubarak to step down.
Mr ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning former head of the UN nuclear watchdog, told Reuters shortly before he was due to leave Vienna for Cairo today: "He has served the country for 30 years and it is about time for him to retire.If you're wondering where the chief of Egypt's armed forces is... he's in the US.
"I think he has to declare that he is not going to run again (for president)," said Mr ElBaradei, who lives in Vienna.
"Tomorrow is going to be, I think, a major demonstration all over Egypt and I will be there with them," Mr ElBaradei said, calling for peaceful protests.
"People broke the culture of fear and once you break the culture of fear there is no going back," he said.
In a comment on the American web-based news site The Daily Beast today, Mr Elbaradei said: "I am going back to Cairo, and back onto the streets because, really, there is no choice. You go out there with this massive number of people, and you hope things will not turn ugly, but so far, the regime does not seem to have gotten that message."
His arrival in Cairo could inspire protesters who have no figurehead, although many activists resent his long absences over past months.
Labels: Cairo 25 January 2011, Hosni Mubarak, Mohamed ElBaradei, Politics, World Politics
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:15 PM
3 Comments:
El Baradei ran interference at IAEA for Iran's nuclear strivances for years, didn't he? He is not a friend of Israel (or any human preservation, for that matter) and I don't think he objects to nukes landing in the region. Looks like the immediate choice around there (other than Israel) is authoritarian govt or jihadi govt. Too bad the Egyptians can't make a move for someone other than El Baradei.
The Muslim Brotherhood is the main rival to the regime. If Mubarak is in charge, its hesitant and confused response to the challenge in front of it belies it. And there is nothing that emboldens Arabs so much as the weakness of a foe. That may be the beginning of the end of his regime.
El Baradei looks in the mirror and sees another choice, El Baradei government.
Good luck with that.
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