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Subscribe to RSSUpdate 3:04 p.m. ET: Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman has urged all demonstrators to go home and observe the curfew, saying his dialogue with political forces depends on an end to street protests.
Update 11:33 a.m. ET: "The decision to crack down on the demonstrations has now been taken," says Hisham Melhem, Washington bureau chief for the Egyptian network Al Arabiya, who predicts in an interview on MSNBC TV that violence will continue through a massive anti-Mubarak protest expected after prayers Friday.
Pro-Mubarak demonstrators on camels and truck are charging into the crowd using whips and throwing molotov cocktails, witnesses report. The military is sticking to its promise not to interven with force, which has the effect today of letting pro-government crowds reign free.
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All indications are that several thousand supporters of President Hosni Mubarak are instigating today's clashes.
White House chief of staff William Daley told reporters that Washington had no warning of today's events, which came as a surprise after President Barack Obama's "cordial" phone call with Mubarak yesterday, NBC News' Andrea Mitchell reports.
Looking at the larger picture, Daley said that given the country's history, the next leader could likely come from the military, with which the United States has "extensive, continuing contacts."
"We would hope what came out of this crisis is a stronger democratic, secular nation," he said, but the bottom line is that the people will control the outcome.
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The people will control the outcome? How do you know? People are often manipulated, led astray, given false info and so on. Are we even sure where these pro-government supporters came from? are they for real? The army waits. Could the plan be to get things really ugly, discredit the protestors and then the military will be "forced" to act? I'm waiting and watching, but know I see only a part fo this story.
This is not an uprising because of the food prices, it is to end long term (30 years) of Mubarak dictatorship regime with iron fist . Look at the media now there is a massacre in Tahreer square killing the innocent opponent who are armless and standing in peace . This dictatorship is supported unfortunately with American president .
He and his family stole our health, wealth, land and smile
The people of Egypt are calling on Obama for support...now that there is violence on the ground. I see this as a plot from Mubarak to ensure that the incoming "Regime" will continue his reign of terror on his people. He is clearly the one behind this sudden surge of pro-Mubarak supporters. Some have been captured and identified from the Central Security. What will it take and how many will die before we stand behind our words to support them. How can we expect loyalty when Mubarack is gone from the same people who we ignored in order to protect our "interests" in the Middle-East. We are by saying nothing about the present situation, by doing nothing writing our page in history. The time is now...when it's gone it will be too late!
Heh...
The pro-mubarak protesters are all hired thugs from the National Democratic Party they paid them about $30 each to protest and attack
The People of Egypt are calling on Obama for support while they are being bloodied on the streets. This is clearly a plot by Mubarak to ensure that the incoming "regime" will continue its reign of terror on the people. There can be no question who is behind this. Some captured have been identified as agents of the Central Security. Can there be any question as to why Mubarak must go? He is in front of the eyes of the whole world in defiance of the call to peaceful protests. How can we expect loyalty from these same people who are watching their loved ones being slaughtered, later when he is gone if we turn a blind eye to what is going on today. Once history is recorded it will show what we did or didn't do. I think we need to do more than pay lip service to them. We owe them more than words. The time is now!
It's going to get bloodier in Egypt, pro-Moby are going to die in droves at this pace
This thing is really astroturf and its going to go into Iran Version 2.0.
Even if there are 4 million people protesting, Egypt has 80 million people and 18 million in the city. Yet the protesters suddenly officially represent the will of the people (no election needed).
This happened in 1917, Tzar was overthrown, and the Bolsheviks took the power vacuum over within 10 months.
1933 Hitler became Chancellor, and the rest is history.
Shah of Iran overthrown became a paradise for Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini .
You see, in plural political conflicts the minority can gain crushing control by being unified, where the opposition is not able to unify. Like the democrats in the US - they win way more than they should because they are a unified bucket for Socialists, Marxists, Unionists, Public Unions, Progressives, Leftists and unfortunately they retain the Voltaire Liberals by default. The opposition to them have more individual thoughts, so they don't agree as much (Independents, Tea Party, GOP, Constitution Party, Libertarian Party, etc).
Its simple to do, make a big stink, the oligarchical media rubber stamps this as popular revolt and VIOLA!
We have yet another west-hating Islamic Fascist republic that persecutes Christians and Jews and rattles the sabers of war towards Israel.
Welcome no another Islamo-fascist terrorist government that give the Muslim Brotherhood even more power. Note that al-Qaeda's #2 man, Ayman al-Zawahiri, who comes from Egypt was made into a terrorist by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Why is this the 2nd article I've read where the Obama administration is surprised. 1st they were surprised at the uprising. Now they are surprised at the pro Mubarak response. Obama and his administration really doesn't a clue one. Go Obama just hand over 1/2 the world to the Muslim Brotherhood and we will all be safe. Yeah right. You idiot you are going to destroy this country one way or the other.