Breaking News & LIVE THREAD- Egypt and Middle East

Various on the internet | 28 January 2011

[SE Mom]

From FOX:

DEVELOPING: Loud explosions and gunfire were heard in the Egyptian capital of Cairo Friday, as protesters demanding the removal of President Hosni Mubarak defied a curfew, Al Jazeera reported. Egyptian television reports the ruling party headquarters in Cairo are on fire.

From TWITTER:

WashingtonPost: Clinton: We urge #Egypt authorities to allow peaceful protest, reverse unprecedented steps it has taken to cut off communications less than 20 seconds ago

[HollyB]

Interesting article, thx. That appears to be what is going on.

I was just reading on a tweet: some are purely naive. The blow tweeters must be expecting a uniform that says “Terrorist or Islamic extremist”. Wow.

Tweets:
“30 or even 20 years ago, there would have been small armies of terrorists trying to play this situation. Today, we don’t see anyone. “

Reply Retweet . “Interesting we have seen no veteran Egyptian Islamic extremists from Gamaat or EIJ. No mujahideen running the streets. “

[RoseyT]

I find it ironic that the most blatant piece of anti-American rhetoric I’ve seen so far was at one of the protests in our own country. It was a huge banner that said “DICTATOR Made in the U.S.A.” I just saw it on CNN so I don’t have a pic.

[HollyB]

sp: blow : below

[JimSEA]

The pictures of the museum made it appear thoroughly either loot or trashed. For most Muslims on the street, these treasures are only a source of money or to be despised as they predate Islam.

[SE Mom]

FUBAR ping to # 1876

[JimSEA]

al Sadr’s return to Iraq — just a coincidence??

[Uncle Ike]

{this is a cross-post}

Interesting - perhaps, even ominous - development, if confirmed...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2665382/posts?page=1

EGYPT:AT LEAST 20 MEMBERS OF THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ARRESTED
ANSA Italy ^ | January 29, 2010

Posted on Saturday, January 29, 2011 11:29:19 AM by La Lydia

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, JANUARY 28 - At least twenty members of the Muslim Brotherhood, the main opposition force in Egypt, have been arrested during the night. The news was announced by the Islamic political organisation’s lawyer. The people arrested in their homes include five former MPs and five members of the political office, including the spokesmen of the brotherhood, Essam El-Erian and Mohammed Mursi.

The Muslim Brotherhood have announced that they will take part in the protest demonstrations today against Hosni Mubarak’s regime, after Friday prayers, after having kept a low profile over recent days.

[SE Mom]

ooops- I meant to ping Uncle Ike to your post 1876 sunmars...geesh...I’m getting dizzy.

[PghBaldy]

Given that tourism is about 10% of GDP, most people there should understand what good the museums (and tourists) are for. I hope... I assume there are also thousands of tourists trapped, as flights stopped.

[Girlene]

.....the islamists are always there to provide food for the hungry...they are the only ones who are “there for the people” when the SHTF...and of course are there to fill the inevitable power vacuum. - Good point, SE Mom.

From Ynet, Report: Gamal Mubarak resigned from ruling party

According to the Al Arabiya news channel, there are unconfirmed reports that Gamal Mubarak, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's son, who headed the National Democratic Party's Policies Committee, has resigned his post. Earlier it was reported that Gamal, his brother Alaa and their mother Suzanne have escaped Egypt for London.

[SE Mom]

1828 Mohamed Bakeer, from Wigan writes: “Just spoken to my family in two different parts of Cairo and been told thugs and looters are on the streets, breaking in houses and attacking people and taking all they can. Army have issued an emergency number for residents to call, army has been called in full in the streets and engaging with live fire with looters and thugs in parts of Heliopolis.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/9380534.stm

[ColdOne]

I figured it was just interesting to hear CNN in shock that the locals would loot. So Islam despises the history of Egypt? The Pyramids?

[Uncle Ike]

” Given that tourism is about 10% of GDP, most people there should understand what good the museums (and tourists) are for. “

It’s very possible that I lack imagination, here, but I just can’t picture a participant in a rioting/looting mob stopping to ask him/herself “What am I doing to the GDP??”...

[SE Mom]

Oh boy, here we go...

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4020733,00.html

The spiritual leader of the Muslim Brothers movement and one of the world’s most prominent Sunni clerics is urging Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to leave Egypt.

In an extraordinarily belligerent speech on al-Jazeera Saturday, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi said history was currently being made in Egypt, calling on the president to leave the country at once.

He doesn’t live in our world. He doesn’t feel the anger and hunger of this people,” al- Qaradawi charged. “He’s detached from reality. Mubarak must give up his position and leave Egypt. There is no other solution, except for Mubarak’s departure.”

The Muslim Brothers’ spiritual leader hinted that Egypt is on the verge of revolution, saying that “nobody can stop history from being made.”

[Uncle Ike]

” ooops- I meant to ping Uncle Ike to your post 1876 sunmars “

That’s okay, Mom — I had to duck out for a couple of hours for the weekly Saturday Horror Show (AKA gas station and grocery store..), but I’m back and caught up and following along as best I can... ;)

[ScaniaBoy]

The correspondent for the French newspaper Le Figaro analyses the nomination of two generals to top positions in the new government (vice-president and prime minister). A firm intervention by the army is expected tonight.

Égypte : «On s'attend à une intervention de l'armée»

As always, it is a question of the loyalty of the troops and their officers. However, the nominations indicate that the army is about to take over the running of the country.

[PghBaldy]

Thanks for the laugh. Yeah, I guess you’re right ; ) I agree, but there are others, civilians, who would want to prevent needless destruction/looting.

[SE Mom]

Oh my- I’ve been putting off the Saturday Silliness all day...just checked the fridge to see if I can put it off another day. I detest shopping ;)

Glad you’re back.

Praying for Israel with all my heart and soul today.

[Uncle Ike]

” In an extraordinarily belligerent speech on al-Jazeera Saturday, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi said history was currently being made in Egypt, “

In conjunction with my earlier post about Mubarak having MB leaders arrested, this sounds like a mutual declaration of blood-feud...

So much for hopes of a ‘peaceful’ settlement - this does not end well....

[Girlene]

Looting engulfs Cairo, other Egyptian cities

"Cairo residents boarded up homes and set up neighborhood watches armed with guns, clubs and knives Saturday as looting engulfed the capital, despite the deployment of army troops to restore order.

Residents reported gangs of youths, some on motorbikes, roaming the streets, looting supermarkets, shopping malls and shops. Some of the gangs made it to affluent residential areas in the suburbs, breaking into luxury homes and apartments. The crack of gunfire could be heard in the city center as well as outlying districts. The situation had spiraled far enough out of control by dusk Saturday that the army was deploying reinforcements across the city to restore order and prevent looting, state TV said. (AP) "