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foreign policy

Thousands Protest in Algeria

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On the eve of the step down of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, thousands of Algerians take to the streets in protest. While they are not calling for the removal of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, they are however chanting for reform.

Algerian protests

FoxNews report:

Thousands of people defied a government ban on demonstrations and poured into the Algerian capital for a pro-democracy rally Saturday, a day after weeks of mass protests toppled Egypt’s authoritarian leader.

Some 10,000 people flooded into downtown Algiers, organizers estimated, where they skirmished with riot police attempting to block off streets and disperse the crowd. Some arrests were reported.

Protesters chanted slogans including “No to the police state” and “Bouteflika out,” a reference to President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been in power in this sprawling North African nation since 1999.

WSJ report:

Algerian protests first flared last month, inspired in part by the demonstrations taking place in next-door Tunisia. But in Algeria, anger over a sudden increase in food prices–enacted by the government as part of what it had billed as economic reforms–was also a big trigger.

Since then, Algeria worked to reverse those hikes. In subsequent weeks, as revolts in Tunisia and Egypt inspired other Arab protesters to demand political reform, Algerian opposition leaders have made similar demands. Last week, Algerian authorities vowed to lift a state of emergency that’s been in place since 1992, one demand of political reformers. Opposition leaders have said they aren’t seeking the immediate overthrow of longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Egypt; What Next?

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Filling the streets in Cairo are hundreds of thousands of Egyptians applauding their efforts to out the Mubarak regime that lasted 30 years. However, there are sill many questions that arise now that Hosni Mubarak has stepped down and handed power over to the Higher Council of the Egyptian Armed Services.

One of those questions is: “What next?” As many of the people are filled with jubilation, it is clear that they don’t know what is in store. How the Military will control things is very uncertain.

Another thing that is worth looking at is the idea of how Egypt goes, so do the others. As political unrest toppled Tunisia, and then Egypt, others will certainly come forward and do the same. Right now, there are anti-government protests going on in Algeria. Are they next? What about Syria, Lebanon or Saudi Arabia? Will they be next?

Only time will tell as to the effectiveness of the people in Egypt in the outing of Mubarak and his regime. As many things are still uncertain, one thing is certain. The people of Egypt are proud of what they have accomplished.

*ALERT* Hosni Mubarak Resigns

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Mubarak resignation

After 18 days of protests in the streets of Cairo, President Hosni Mubarak has offered his resignation.

CBSNews report:

The post-revolution has begun, as the world leaders reacts to a nation ousting its president after three decades of rule react to Hosni Mubarak stepping down.

From Beirut to Gaza, fireworks and celebratory gunfire erupted as people rushed into the streets to celebrate.

Even in Israel, which had watched the Egyptian protesters’ uprising against Mubarak with concern, a former Cabinet minister said Mubarak did the right thing.

“The street won,” former Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel TV’s Channel 10. “There was nothing that could be done. It’s good that he did what he did.”

Mubarak Refuses to Step Down

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Earlier it was being reported that President Hosni Mubarak would be stepping down and transferring authority to the Egyptian Armed Services. However, Mubarak is now refusing to step down and hand power to anyone until elections are held and a new president is elected.

NYTimes report:

In a nationally televised address following a tumultuous day of political rumors and conflicting reports, Mr. Mubarak said he would “admit mistakes” and honor the sacrifices of young people killed in the three-week uprising, but that he would continue to “shoulder my responsibilities” until September, and did not give a firm indication that he would cede political power.

Even as Mr. Mubarak spoke, angry chants were shouted from huge crowds in Cairo who had anticipated his resignation but were instead confronted with a plea from the president to support continued rule by him and his chosen aides. People waved their shoes in defiance, considered an insulting gesture in the Arab world.

Mr. Mubarak said the process of political change initiated by his administration, including a dialogue with opposition groups, would not be reversed. But he signaled no imminent transfer of power and blamed foreigners for seeking to interfere in Egypt’s affairs.

Mubarak to Step Down; Hand Power to Armed Forces *UPDATE 1*

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Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, will step down from power and transfer authority to the Egyptian Higher Council of the Armed Forces.

FoxNews reports:

The group is comprised of the minister of defense, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi — who stands atop the military hierarchy — along with the military’s chief of staff, the chief of operations, and commanders of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Air Defenses.

The source pointed out that the transfer of power will occur “outside of the constitutional framework” because under the Egyptian constitution, Mubarak’s resignation ordinarily would mean that the speaker of the house would become president and elections would be held within 60 days. In this case, the military council will “not be governing under the constitution or any legislation,” the source noted. “So they will have to define the format under which they are taking power.”

The source did not know how long the military would reign nor what mechanism or timetable would be put in place to end the military’s administration of power, but said that “when (the transfer of power from Mubarak) does happen, they will presumably indicate the direction of the country.” 

UPDATE :

In recent event, the update is that President Hosni Mubarak will not be handing power over, but will only do so when someone is rightly elected.

Suleiman; Preferred by U.S. and Israel

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According to leaked cables, Egyptian VP Omar Suleiman was/is preferred by not only the United States, but by Israel as well. And during one cable, Suleiman was desribed as “the most successful element of the relationship (between the US and Egyptian intelligence Agencies)”.

FoxNews report:

Egypt’s Vice President Omar Suleiman was long seen by Israel as the preferred candidate to succeed President Hosni Mubarak, secret U.S. diplomatic cables published Monday suggested.

The cables, released by Wikileaks and published Monday by the Daily Telegrah Newspaper, quote a conversation between a senior adviser from the Israeli Ministry of Defense and U.S. diplomats in Tel Aviv. In the cable, the Israeli official, David Hacham tells his American colleague that Suleiman would likely serve as “at least an interim president if Mubarak dies or is incapacitated.” Hacham also said that the Israeli delegation led by Defense Minister Ehud Barak was “shocked by Mubarak’s aged appearance and slurred speech,” when it met him in Egypt.     Continue reading . . .

Egyptian Gov’t and Muslim Brotherhood Make New Concessions

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The sitting VP in Egypt, Omar Suleiman, and the Muslim Brotherhood heldtalks in the hopes of calming the continuing protests that have filled the streets of Cairo for almost two weeks. During the talks, the two agreed to some new concessions.

FoxNews/AP reports:

Vice President Omar Suleiman endorsed a plan with the opposition to set up a committee of judiciary and political figures to study proposed constitutional amendments that would allow more candidates to run for president and impose term limits on the presidency, the state news agency reported. The committee was given until the first week of March to finish the tasks.

The regime also pledged not to harass those participating in the anti-government protests, which have drawn hundreds of thousands at the biggest rallies. The government also agreed not to hamper freedom of press and not to interfere with text messaging and Internet.

Sunday’s meeting was the broadest representation of Egypt’s fragmented opposition to meet with the new vice president since the protests demanding the immediate ouster of longtime President Hosni Mubarak began on Jan. 25.

The opposition groups represented included the youthful supporters of leading democracy advocate Mohamed ElBaradei, who are one of the main forces behind the protests.

The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest opposition group, and a number of smaller leftist, liberal groups also attended the meeting, according to footage shown on state television.

Egypt Ruling Party Leaders Resign

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In an attempt to calm protesters in Egypt, ruling party leaders gave their resignations. However, the protests have not slowed, and will not do so until the people are satisfied with the removal of current Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak steps down.

As increased pressure from the likes of the United States, the likely person to be placed in the office of president is the newly named VP, Omar Suleiman. As it is uncertain who will take Mubarak’s place, one thing is certain, and that is that the people want him out.

Here is what one person had to say:

Egypt: ‘Day of Departure’

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In what is being labeled as a ‘day of departure’ for Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, the tensions continue as protesters fill the streets in another attempt to force out Mubarak.

FoxNews/AP report:

CAIRO — The Egyptian military guarded thousands of protesters pouring into Cairo’s main square for a ‘day of departure’ rally Friday in an attempt to drive out President Hosni Mubarak after a week and half of pro-democracy demonstrations.

The Obama administration said it was in talks with top Egyptian officials about the possibility of Mubarak immediately resigning, and an interim government forming before free and fair elections this year.

Egyptian Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi and senior army officials visited the square Friday morning and soldiers were checking IDs and performing body searches at its entrances, a sign that Egypt’s most powerful institution was sanctioning the demonstration.     Continue reading . . .