Evo said:
It doesn't sound to me, that the people that are rioting will accept an appointment by Mubarik of someone in his cabinet. I could be wrong.
But I don't know what they think is going to happen. I don't see a magic wand to cure their ills. Perhaps the best they can do is accept the appointment, now that their state of mind is known perhaps more attention will be directed at programs to address the issues. But in reality, how much can be done quickly?
Unless every media report is wrong, you're right.
For the second part, to respond to you and ThomasT: You're talking about 30 years of MANY different issues, and I don't claim to know or understand them all. Some I know, but that you probably do as well are:
-The Muslim Brotherhood LOATHES Mubarak. Personally they loathe him because he took them from a powerful militant group with political clout (much like Hamas), and in the course of killing, imprisoning, and finally denying them a political voice at allv... into a kind of charity and hate group. True, the MB is more moderate in its rank and file now, but its leaders (those that are left) are very much like Ayman Al Zawahiri (Egyptian). There is no denying them a voice in a new government if it is free, but Egypt is NOT Iran, and these are not young people looking to imitate Iran.
-Mubarak allowed for some financial reforms which led to the rapid emergence of a well educated middle class...
-...who are still paid like dirt and treated like dirt if they speak up.
-The police/Security Forces are LOATHED, especially the 'Thugs'
-The army is at the center of Egyptian life, and I'd argue it has been for millenia. The army is seen as heroic, having recaptured the Suez for a time, and because the only time in about 60% of Egyptian living memory.. the only time the military was dispatched was to deal with the hated police.
Beyond that... you're talking about a history of wars and despotism, but also highly advanced society which is quite populous and educated. People have suddenly not just LEARNED how others live, they just turn on their cell phones and can WATCH it in HD video.
Beyond that, you have this immense anger that's been building, but to release it at ALL meant imprisonment, torture, death, or the need to flee.
Oh yes... and Tunisia, which is considered a small and unimportant nation next to Egypt, yet their people exerted their will. There is so much money in Egypt, and so much waste and hoarding of that money... and frankly genuine economic troubles.
Think of it as the flash-mob of protest.
edit: I'd add that while Iran is doubtless thrilled to see Israel and the USA's major strategic ally suffer, it's a very myopic view for them to take. If Israel feels truly threatened, and that they may once again have to seriously militarize the Egyptian border, they may well decide to deal with the Iranian Nuclear programs first and harshly. There's no good outcome here, except some kind of interim government to get through to new elections, and the emergence of a strong central leadership that pacifies the public and stages incremental reforms.
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