This is from Cairo, right in the middle of this turmoil. 4:50 Cairo Time.
I HAD NO ACCESS TO THE INTERNET FOR THE PAST 5 DAYS. THE MUBARAK GOVERNMENT CUT ALL ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS. I AM TYPING SO FAST BEFORE THE I LOSE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AGAIN
Mubarak is clearly backed by the Americans. He took some moves after speaking with Obama and a visit by a former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner (sp.?). He wants to stay till the end of his current president term in September and a chance to correct his 30 years in power, which have been marred by corruption, mismanagement and police brutality.
Mubarak, the army, the Americans and the Israelis are clearly on one side. That’s one camp. The people of Egypt (most of them now) are the other.
The Americans want Mubarak to stay on for longer while they look for a suitable successor that would be best for U.S. interests.
Mubarak’s tactic is to make Egyptians choose between “security”, that he supposedly provided over the past thirty years, or insecurity, vandalism, and chaos that he also is also providing now.
Mubarak, with the backing of his secret police force the Amn Dawla, is punishing the society in general for going out against him. Right now, there’s a battle going on by police officers and Mubarak supporters, many of them work for businessmen allied with the regime, and the protesters who calling for his ouster. Mubarak backers and security force is using horses and camels to storm through the anti-Mubarak demonstrators. Many have been reportedly killed or injured. A battle of stone-throwing is going on.
His punishment for the people also includes blocking off roads, essentially making the cost of transportation much higher now. That translates as higher food prices and shortages of literally almost everything.
We had a huge dose of insecurity over the past few days. I had to take my own family out of Cairo after constant gun shots all night long in the city of 6th October which is some 30 kilometers south-east of Cairo.
This will backfire. Some people got scared which means the fear tactic he used over the past 30 years worked again. But many too have turned even further against him. His tactics are clearly so low and some say even “devious”. There will be lots of blood. But the word I hear is that is going to be worth it. Egyptians will be liberated not just from Mubarak but his backers as well.
By backing Mubarak and not speaking for his departure and the creation of a democratic system, the U.S. looks set to lose another country in the Middle East. Washington is backing Mubarak and is trying to buy more time to get someone more to their liking in power.
I never a single slogan that was anti-American during all those days of protests. If there were, they were sure very rare. Why then does the U.S. insert itself on Mubarak’s side? Why are they again protestors who want to see some change? I think it is a very short-sighted policy. It may live for a few months, possibly years, but will again be overturned.
Emad Mekay, Cairo