Egypt

[rm]

"UPDATE 35, 4:30 p.m. EST: Al Jazeera reports that top regime and NDP party officials are leaving Egypt on private jets. No word on Mubarak. Also, the Speaker of the Egyptian parliament is supposed to release a statement soon. It remains to be seen whether that will actually happen. It's now nearly midnight in Egypt."


I think we can assume that the Mubarak regime in Egypt has fallen.

I actually called Patty at 3am last night to tell her what was going on (she's fine, she's in India, she just has no news flow there).


ETA: Mubarak has said (in a pre-recorded speech, so we don't know when it happened or where he is) he will appoint new ministers tomorrow and has reaffirmed his government's response to the protests. Out of touch doesn't begin to cover it.

ETA2: Obama had 30 minute call with Mubarak, is taking him at his word re: reforms, is speaking now seemingly to reaffirm US support of Mubarak, although this is probably the "hedging our bets" dance, although I'm not quite grokking our poker in all this right about now because I really don't think Mubarak can hold on. Tanks in the main square in Cairo now, chasing out protesters, who are still all over the side streets in defiance of curfew and have formed human chain around museum to save from looting.

ETA3: I've seen reports of protests in Jordan and now a self-immolation in Saudi Arabia (these are being watched across the Arab world, because a suicide like this (Muhammad Bouazizi) is credited with starting the Tunisia uprisings) -- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12260465

ETA4: Can anyone verify reports of net shutdown in Syria?

Comments

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

I am not usually a big believer in the domino theory, as there invariably tends to be other forces at play.

But this does make a body wonder.

If it can happen in one of the more progressive countries like Egypt...

[rm.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Yemen and Algeria seem to be the ones next most likely to be affected, but I've also heard noise, amazingly, about Jordan.

[thatwordgrrl.livejournal.com]

Neither Yemen nor Algeria surprise me.

But Jordan? Wow, about as Westernized as Egypt.