An eventful day in Egypt – starting out so with even more protesters streaming into Tahrir – and now to many other sites around Egypt. Then the hopeful rumors by leaders from the cabinet, the government, the army – you will get all you want today, said a general…
Didn’t feel right to me, but I so much wanted it to be that way. And then the much – anticipated speech by President Mubarak. If he had said what the crowd expected and wanted – that he was leaving then or very soon – there would have been jubilation, he would have been cheered, would have ended on a very high note.
The paternalistic president said the very opposite – he definitely intends to stick around til September, he’s giving his authority – or maybe only a little – to ‘Sillyman’ as I saw on an Egyptian tweet. Now the crowd will want Sillyman gone as well, and the entire regime swept aside. Clearly to everyone, Mubarak is willing to destroy the country he has stolen billions from rather than step aside. He hasn’t heard a thing all these three weeks.
Friday is the big day of the week in Egypt. The army is now in the decision making seat, along with millions of protesters. Will it be peaceful? Or will the angry marchers explode?
I feel it will not be decided tomorrow. There will be almost no violence tomorrow, the army will continue to hedge its bets. But soon, without normal commerce, there will be no food and no money for the people. Choice will be made. Mubarak can expect no mercy now.