EGYPT CRISIS

On February 11, 2011, history was made in Egypt and many feel
that it came about through the combined forces of demography
and technology. President Hosni Mubarak was forced out after 18
days of mass protests that culminated in huge marches on his
presidential palaces and state television. The military took power
after protesters called for it to intervene and oust their leader of
three decades.
Since the democratic revolution in Egypt did not happen in a
political vacuum, it will be very interesting to see when and
where the next domino falls. The remarkable speed with
which the protestors in forced the Egyptian strongman to
resign his post must surely have other long-time leaders in
nearby countries wondering: Could this happen in my
country?
To the thousands of largely young Egyptians who showed up
in Tahrir Square, demanded and got the resignation of
Mubarak, the answer to this question is simple and defiant.
Yes it can. Plus, in those countries with large populations of
educated and underemployed people who are tech-savvy and
therefore understand that there is a better world beyond their
shores, reform could come sooner than later. This is
especially true in those countries with unresponsive rulers.
As the Council on Foreign Relations noted on February 4,
2011, ³The Arab world is paying wary attention to the youth-
led protest movement sweeping the Middle East and North
Africa. A month of demonstrations led to the ouster last
month of Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali; and Yemen,
Jordan, Algeria, and Syria are also seeing street protests.´
However, these are not the only countries who are watching
the activities in Egypt with more than a little trepidation.
Long-time U.S, ally Saudi Arabia will also likely see uprising
for many of the same reasons that the youth and working
people of Egypt demanded reform.
As international observers were quick to note, the date of
Mubarak¶s resignation came 32 years to the day after the
collapse of the Shah's government in Iran. It is not lost on
anyone in the Middle East that both Mubarak and the Shah
were both dictators who ruled their countries with iron hands
and they were both strong allies of the United States.
What Will Happen in Syria?
The Syrian President is Bashar Assad and his opponents
called for a "day of rage" on February 4, 2011. Many political
observers, including the Council on Foreign Relations, feel
that Assad is another leader with reason for concern
because the Egyptian and Syrian regimes have much in
common.
However, others disagree. The Wall Street Journal noted that
³the protests may well have strengthened the resistance bloc
led by Iran and Syria, which is seeing "many of its chief
regional adversaries weakened, notably Mubarak and
Jordan's King Abdullah.´ In this interview, President Assad
pledged reforms for Syria.
The location of Syria, also known as he Syrian Arab
Republic, is strategically important to Middle Eastern
geopolitics because it¶s surrounded by powerful countries in
the region. It is located in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon
and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north,
Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the
southwest. Any change in the leadership of Syria will have
ramifications for each of these other countries.
Political observers have noted that even though the country
has been governed by the Baath party since 1963, the real
power lies in the hands of the president. The current leader,
Bashar Assad was re-elected to his second term in 2007 after
taking over the job from his father, Hafez Assad who, like
Mubarak, held the job for more than 30 years.
c
Is Yemen Next?c
The country of Yemen is located in the southwest of the
Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the
north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east.
Immediately to the south lie the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of
Aden.
Yemen¶s economy and political corruption has been
compared to that of Egypt. The Council on Foreign Relations
notes that it is one of the poorest and least developed
countries in the Middle East, with only a 65% employment
rate, limited natural resources, and a young and growing
population.
Online resource Wikipedia notes that ³Yemen's economy is
weak compared to most countries in the Middle-East, mainly
due to Yemen possessing very small quantities of oil.
Yemen's economy depends heavily on the oil it produces,
and its government receives the vast majority of its revenue
from oil taxes.´ However these petroleum reserves are
expected to be depleted by 2017, possibly bringing on
economic collapse.
As was/is the case in Egypt, rampant governmental
corruption is an obstacle to development in Yemen. It is clear
that the youth and poverty stricken in this country are
quickly following the lead of Tunisia and Egypt. News reports
noted that a demonstration in Yemen on February 3, 2011,
drew more than twenty thousand people
The "radicalization" of Muslims is being launched by Rep
Peter King in an attempt to protect business partner China. In
doing so, China hopes it will dramatically reduce the threat
that looms over their head. Chinese citizens have been
protesting and the Chinese government is concerned with, if
Arab nations succeed, what it will mean for their ruling
class? Chinese government is scared and is why they have
been pushing their wants onto the Republican party.
Now do you understand why Peter is so dedicated to the
radicalization of Muslim Americans? He is protecting China's
interest. What is the main reason Peter is protecting China?
It's because China is providing Peter with "perks" kickback
and relax.
It is clear to me protecting China significantly reduces
America's chances of survival. What I mean by that is this
recession will get worse and eventually turn into a great
depression like in the 1930's if this "radicalization" continues
further. I see it like this, if the Republicans side with China
then they are anti American. Because look at the matter,
Republicans duty is to represent citizens of the United States
first, special interest second, that is if Republicans are really
interested in serving the country. If politicians are not
interested in serving the country, then they turn the other
cheek by covertly sabotaging American interest for money.
Who is in office to serve citizens? It isn't Republicans as they
claim, they used honoring the US Constitution as a ploy to
make us think they were working on our behalf. I am
ashamed of the Republican party dirty dealings. What were
they thinking, we wouldn't figure it out? Do Republicans
think we are idiots? I am no idiot.
Protecting China's interest tells me all I need to know about
the Republican party. Is this why Republicans went after the
union? It appears so. It appears China had a lot to do with
the Republicans dismantling this sector. As everyone recalls
the union was dismantled first then Peter started talking
about "radicalization" of Muslim Americans. This my friend is
a "pattern of practice" in China. China slowly one by one
took away rights of citizens by #1 Denouncing unions, #2
classified unions as threat to financial security, #3 started a
campaign of harsh punishment to prevent an uprising like
Peter is doing with our Muslim brothers and sisters.
What does it mean for citizens world wide if Arab nation
reform does not succeed? It means the war on terror will be
prolonged thus creating more invasive laws that depriving us
of our human rights. I am sure Chinese government is
relishing in the demise of human rights world wide, why
wouldn't they, people that live in China have no rights
whatsoever!
Who is the super power China? It isn't you. Now let me ask;
"what makes a super power powerful in the sense it is a
welcomed friend?" Answer: being support service to dissent
world wide. Which means China does not have a chance to
make much of a difference in what is transpiring in Arab
country. No country, especially not China, will attempt to
subvert American government from instilling a one world
government. What is this one world government? It is to
assure American authority survives. In other words China is
done telling America what to do.
It doesn't matter if China holds 23% of American interest. It
isn't 60% so why are they weighing in so aggressively?
China does not own America. America is not China's bitch
and being this is true, concludes China has no say on what
governments we uproot.
It is my opinion, Arab nation reform is imperative. It is the
only way we will be able to protect our future financial
infrastructure. Uprooting and dismantling Arab nation
dictatorships automatically prevents China and other police
states from constructing their own mini government of
enslavement. It is my belief dictators prevent nations from
coming together as a team player. In other words team work
cannot succeed for as long as dictators are in power.
China's meddling just backfired.
2011 Egyptian revolution
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The 2011 Egyptian revolution (Arabic: ΓέϮΛ˻˾ ήϳΎϨϳ 



, Revolution of 25 January) took place following a popular
uprising that began on 25 January 2011. The uprising, in which
the participants placed emphasis on the peaceful nature of the
struggle, mainly comprised a campaign of civil resistance, which
featured a series of demonstrations, marches, acts of civil
disobedience, and labor strikes. Millions of protesters from a
variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds demanded
the overthrow of the regime ofEgyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Despite being predominantly peaceful in nature, the revolution
was not without violent clashes between security forces and
protesters. The campaign took place in Cairo, Alexandria, and in
other cities in Egypt, following the Tunisian Revolution that saw
the overthrow of the long-time Tunisian president. On 11
February, following weeks of determined popular protest and
pressure, Mubarak resigned from office.
Grievances of Egyptian protesters focused on legal and political
issues[14]including police brutality,[2] state of
emergency laws,[2] lack of free electionsand freedom of
speech,[3] uncontrollable corruption,[3] as well as economic issues
including high unemployment,[4] food price inflation,[4] and
lowminimum wages.[2][4] The primary demands from protest
organizers were the end of the Hosni Mubarak regime, the end of
emergency law, freedom, justice, a responsive non-military
government, and a say in the management of Egypt's
resources.[15] Strikes by labor unions added to the pressure on
government officials.[16]
There were up to 840 [17] deaths reported, and over 6,000 were
injured. The capital city of Cairo was described as "a war
zone,"[18] and the port city ofSuez was the scene of frequent
violent clashes. The government imposed acurfew that protesters
defied and that the police and military did not enforce. The
presence of Egypt's Central Security Forces police, loyal to
Mubarak, was gradually replaced by largely restrained military
troops. In the absence of police, there was looting by gangs that
opposition sources said were instigated by plainclothes police
officers. In response, civilians self-organised watch groups to
protect neighbourhoods.[19][20][21][22][23]
International response to the protests was initially
mixed,[24] though most called for some sort of peaceful protests on
both sides and moves toward reform. Mostly Western
governments also expressed concern for the situation. Many
governments issued travel advisories and began making attempts
at evacuating their citizens from the country.[25] The Egyptian
Revolution, along with Tunisian events, has
influenced demonstrations in other Arab countries
including Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan and Libya.
Mubarak dissolved his government and appointed military figure
and former head of the Egyptian General Intelligence
Directorate Omar Suleiman as Vice-President in an attempt to
quell dissent. Mubarak asked aviation minister and former chief of
Egypt's Air Force, Ahmed Shafik, to form a new
government.Mohamed ElBaradei became a major figure of the
opposition, with all major opposition groups supporting his role as
a negotiator for some form of transitional unity government.[26] In
response to mounting pressure Mubarak announced he would not
seek re-election in September.[27]
On 11 February, Vice President Omar Suleiman announced that
Mubarak would be stepping down as president and turning power
over to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.[28] The junta,
headed by effective head of stateMohamed Hussein Tantawi,
announced on 13 February that the constitution would be
suspended, both houses of parliament dissolved, and that the
military would rule for six months until elections could be held.
The prior cabinet, including Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik, would
continue to serve as a caretaker government until a new one is
formed.[29] Shafik resigned on 3 March 2011, a day before major
protests to get him to step down were planned; he was replaced
by Essam Sharaf, the former transport minister.[30]

[edit]Naming
In Egypt and also the wider Arab world, the protests and
subsequent changes in the government, are mostly called the 25
January Revolution (έ ϱ΍ ϥϱ 25 Γ έϭ Ι Y


)
and Rage Revolution (Ών ύϝ΍ Γ έϭ Ι),and sometimes
[31]
called the Revolution of the Youth (Ώ΍ Ώε ϝ΍ Γ έ ϭΙ Y

[32]
), Lotus Revolution (αΕϭϝϝ΍ Γ έϭ Ι ) or the White
Revolution (˯΍ νϱΏϝ΍ Γ έ ϭ Ι ϝ΍ Y
O).[33]In the
Media it has been known as the "18 Day Revolution".[34]
[edit]Background

Hosni Mubarak in 2009

Hosni Mubarak became head of Egypt's semi-
presidential republic government following the 1981assassination
of President Anwar El Sadat, and continued to serve until his
departure in 2011. Mubarak's 30-year reign made him the longest
serving President in Egypt's history,[35] with hisNational
Democratic Party (NDP) government maintaining one-party rule
under a continuous state of emergency.[36] Mubarak's government
earned the support of the West and a continuation of annual aid
from the United States by maintaining policies of suppression
towards Islamic militants and peace with Israel.[36] Hosni Mubarak
was often compared to an Egyptian pharaoh by the media and by
some of his harsher critics due to his authoritarian rule.[37]
[edit]Inheritance of power
ï

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The grooming of Gamal Mubarak to be his father's successor as
the next president of Egypt became increasingly evident around
the year 2000.[38] With no vice-president, and with no heir-
apparent in sight, Gamal started enjoying considerable attention
in the Egyptian media.[39] Bashar al-Assad's rise to power
in Syria in June 2000 just hours after Hafez al-Assad's death,
sparked a heated debate in the Egyptian press regarding the
prospects for a similar scenario occurring in Cairo.[40]
Both President Mubarak and his son denied the possibility of any
inheritance of power in Egypt, although this was widely
speculated. Most recently, this claim was made in early 2006,
when Gamal Mubarak declared repeatedly that he has no
aspiration to succeed his father, but that he will maintain his
position in the NDP as deputy secretary general, a post he holds
in addition to heading the party's policy committee, probably the
most important organ of the NDP.[41]
In September 2004 several political groups (most are unofficial),
on both the left and the right, announced their sharp opposition to
the inheritance of power. They demanded political change and
asked for a fair election with more than one candidate.[42]
[edit]Emergency law
ï

  


 
An emergency law (Law No. 162 of 1958) was enacted after the
1967 Six-Day War, suspended for 18 months in the early
1980s,[43]and continuously in effect since President Sadat's 1981
assassination.[44] Under the law, police powers are
extended, constitutional rights suspended, censorship is
legalized,[45] and the government may imprison individuals
indefinitely and without reason. The law sharply limits any non-
governmental political activity, including street demonstrations,
non-approved political organizations, and unregistered financial
donations.[43] The Mubarak government has cited the threat
of terrorism in order to extend the emergency law,[44] claiming that
opposition groups like the Muslim Brotherhood could come into
power in Egypt if the current government did not
forgo parliamentary elections and suppressed the group through
actions allowed under emergency law.[46] This has led to the
imprisonment of activists without trials,[47] illegal undocumented
hidden detention facilities,[48][49] and rejecting university, mosque,
and newspaper staff members based on their political
inclination.[50] A parliamentary election in December 2010 was
preceded by a media crackdown, arrests, candidate bans
(particularly of the Muslim Brotherhood), and allegations of fraud
involving the near unanimous victory by the ruling party in
parliament.[43] Human rights organizations estimate that in 2010
between 5,000 and 10,000 people were in long-term detention
without charge or trial.[51][52]
[edit]Police brutality
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The deployment of plainclothes forces paid by Mubarak's ruling
party, #[53] (Arabic: ΔϴΠτϠΑ), has been a hallmark of the
Mubarak government.[53] The Egyptian Organisation for Human
Rights has documented 567 cases of torture, including 167
deaths, by police that occurred between 1993 and 2007.[54] On 6
June 2010, Khaled Mohamed Saeed died under disputed
circumstances in theSidi Gaber area of Alexandria. Multiple
witnesses testified that Saeed was beaten to death by the
police.[55][56] Activists rallying around a Facebook page called "We
are all Khaled Said" succeeded in bringing nationwide attention to
the case.[57] Mohamed ElBaradei, former head of the International
Atomic Energy Agency, led a rally in 2010 in Alexandria against
alleged abuses by the police and visited Saeed's family to offer
condolences.[58]
Additionally, as reported by D+Z, a development magazine based
in Germany, excessive force was often used by law enforcement
agencies. Their police forces constantly squelched democratic
uprisings with brutal force and corrupt tactics, as they did in the
latest and only successful demonstration.[59]
[edit]Economic challenges
Demographic
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% 

Population pyramid in 2005. Many of those 30 and younger are

educated citizens who are having difficulties finding work.
The population of Egypt grew from 30,083,419 in 1966[60] to
roughly 79,000,000 by 2008.[61]The vast majority of Egyptians live
in the limited spaces near the banks of the Nile River, in an area
of about 40,000 square kilometers (15,000 sq mi), where the
only arable land is found and competing with the need of human
habitations. In late 2010, around 40% of Egypt's population of just
under 80 million lived on the fiscal income equivalent of roughly
US$2 per day with a large part of the population relying on
subsidised goods.[2]
According to the Peterson Institute for International
Economics and proponets of demographic structural approach
(cliodynamics), the basic problem Egypt has is unemployment
driven by a demographic youth bulge: with the number of new
people entering the job force at about 4% a year, unemployment
in Egypt is almost 10 times as high for college graduates as it is
for people who have gone through elementary school, particularly
educated urban youth, who are precisely those people that were
seen out in the streets during the revolution.[62] [63]

A poor neighbourhood in Cairo.

Reform, growth, and poverty
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Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former
President Gamal Abdel Nasser but opened up considerably under
former President Anwar Sadat and Mubarak. The Mubarak-led
government from 2004 to 2008 aggressively pursued economic
reforms to attract foreign investment and facilitate GDP growth,
but postponed further economic reforms because of global
economic turmoil. The international economic downturn slowed
Egypt's GDP growth to 4.5% in 2009. In 2010, analysts assessed
the government of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif would need to
restart economic reforms to attract foreign investment, boost
growth, and improve economic conditions for the broader
population. Despite high levels of national economic growth over
the past few years, living conditions for the average Egyptian
remained poor,[64] though he could hardly be called poor by
general African standards.[65]
[edit]Corruption
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Political corruption in Mubarak administration's Ministry of
Interior has risen dramatically due to the increased power over
the institutional system necessary to prolong the
presidency.[66] The rise to power of powerful business men in
the NDP in the government and the People's Assembly led to
massive waves of anger during the years of Prime
Ministers Ahmed Nazif's government. An example of that
is Ahmed Ezz's monopolizing the steel industry in Egypt by
holding more than 60% of the market share.[67] Aladdin Elaasar,
an Egyptian biographer and an American professor, estimates
that the Mubarak family is worth from $50 to $70 billion.[68][69]
The wealth of Ahmed Ezz, the former NDP Organisation
Secretary, is estimated to be 18 billion Egyptian pounds;[70] The
wealth of former Housing Minister Ahmed al-Maghraby is
estimated to be more than 11 billion Egyptian pounds;[70] The
wealth of former Minister of Tourism Zuhair Garrana is estimated
to be 13 billion Egyptian pounds;[70] The wealth of former Minister
of Trade and Industry, Rashid Mohamed Rashid, is estimated to
be 12 billion Egyptian pounds;[70] and the wealth of former Interior
Minister Habib al-Adly is estimated to be 8 billion Egyptian
pounds.[70]
The perceptions of corruption and its beneficiaries being limited to
businessmen with ties to the National Democratic Party have
created a picture "where wealth fuels political power and political
power buys wealth."[71]
During the Egyptian parliamentary election, 2010, opposition
groups complained of harassment and fraud perpetrated by the
government. As such opposition and civil society activists have
called for changes to a number of legal and constitutional
provisions which affect elections.
In 2010, Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions
Index report assessed Egypt with a CPI score of 3.1, based on
perceptions of the degree of corruption from business people and
country analysts (with 10 being clean and 0 being totally
corrupt).[72]
[edit]Lead-up to the protests
In background preparation for a possible overthrow of Mubarak,
opposition groups had studied the work of Gene Sharp on non-
violent revolution, including working with leaders of Otpor!, the
student-led Serbian uprising in 2000. Copies of Sharp's list of 198
non-violent "weapons", translated into Arabic and not always
attributed to him, were circulating in Tahrir Square during its
occupation.[73][74]
[edit]Tunisian Revolution
ï

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After the ousting of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali due
to mass protests, many analysts, including former European
Commission President Romano Prodi, saw Egypt as the next
country where such a revolution might occur.[75] Y-


. comments on this saying "The Jasmine Revolution, [...]
should serve as a stark warning to Arab leaders ± beginning with
Egypt's 83-year-old Hosni Mubarak ± that their refusal to allow
more economic and political opportunity is dangerous and
untenable."[76] However, others argued on the contrary citing little
aspiration of the Egyptian people, low educational levels and a
strong government with the support of the military.[77] The BBC
said "The simple fact is that most Egyptians do not see any way
that they can change their country or their lives through political
action, be it voting, activism, or going out on the streets to
demonstrate." [78]
[edit]Self-immolation
On 17 January due to rising discontent with the country's state
and the poor living conditions, and following the self-immolation
ofMohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia, a man set himself ablaze in front
of the Egyptian parliament;[79] about five more attempts of self-
immolation followed suit.[77]
[edit]National Police Day protests

One of the protestors holding the Egyptian flag during the protests
that started on 25 January 2011 in Egypt that demanded the
removal of the regime and for Mubarak to step down
Opposition groups were planning a day of revolt for 25 January,
coinciding with the National Police Day. The purpose was to
protest against abuses by the police in front of the Ministry of
Interior.[80] These demands expanded to include the resignation of
the Minister of Interior, the restoration of a fair minimum wage, the
end of Egyptian emergency law and term limitsfor the president.
Twenty-six-year-old Asmaa Mahfouz was instrumental[81] in
having sparked the protests that began the uprising in Cairo.[82] In
a video blog posted two weeks before the start of the
revolution,[83] she urged the Egyptian people to join her in a
protest on 25 January in Tahrir Square to bring down Mubarak's
regime.[84] She used video blogging and social media that
went viral[85] and urged people not to be afraid.[86] The April 6
Youth Movement was a major supporter of the protest and
distributed 20,000 leaflets saying "I will protest on 25 January to
get my rights."
The protests were illegal, since permission required to proceed
with the demonstration had not been acquired, and the security
forces had to respond according to law.[87] Many political
movements, opposition parties and public figures chose to
support the day of revolt including Youth for Justice and
Freedom, Coalition of the Youth of the Revolution, thePopular
Democratic Movement for Change and the National Association
for Change. However, its leader Mohamed El Baradei, did not
support the protests saying that he "would like to use the means
available from within the system to effect
change."[88] The Ghad,Karama, Wafd and Democratic Front Many
others became involved in support of the protests. The Muslim
Brotherhood, Egypt's largest opposition group,[89] confirmed on
January 23 that it will partake in the protests and
participate.[89][90][91] Public figures including novelist Alaa Al
Aswany, writer Belal Fadl, and actors Amr Waked and Khaled
Aboul Naga announced they would also participate. The
Facebook group set up specifically for the event attracted 80,000
attendees. However, the leftist National Progressive Unionist
Party(the Tagammu) stated it would not participate. The Coptic
Church also urged Christians not to participate in the protests.[89]
[edit]Protests
[edit]Timeline
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Al Jazeera footage of Egyptian protests

The "Day of Revolt" on 25 January

Hundreds of thousands of people protesting in Tahrir Square on

February 9, 2011

Hundreds of thousands of people celebrations in Tahrir Square

when Hosni Mubarak's resignation was announced
Hundreds of thousands of people protesting in Tahrir Square on
April 1, 2011
25 January 2011: The "Day of Revolt", protests erupted
throughout Egypt, with tens of thousands of protestors gathered in
Cairo and thousands more in cities throughout Egypt. The
protests targeted President Hosni Mubarak's government, and
mostly adhered to non-violence. Nonetheless reports emerged of
civilian and police casualties.
26 January 2011: "Shutting down The Internet": After several
Facebook groups were created and so-called tweets
(from Twitter) facilitated mass demonstrations, the Egyptian
government decided to shut down internet access for most of the
Egyptian people.[92] This was done to impede protestors
communicate.
28 January 2011: The "Friday of Anger" protests began.
Hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Cairo (which also saw
the arrival of opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei) and other
Egyptian cities after Friday Prayers. There were reports of looting,
and prisons were opened and burned down on orders from then-
Minister of the Interior Habib El Adly, causing prison inmates to
escape en-masse, in what was believed to an attempt to terrorize
protesters. The prison breaks were coupled with the complete
withdrawal of police forces from the streets. The military was
ordered to deploy to assist the police. International fears of
violence grew, but no major casualties were reported. President
Hosni Mubarak made his first address to the nation, after 4 days
of ongoing protests and pledged to form a new government. Later
that night clashes broke out in Tahrir Square between
revolutionaries and pro-Mubarak thugs, leading to the injury of
several, and the death of Karim Ahmed Ragab
29 January 2011: The military presence in Cairo increased, and a
curfew was declared, but protests increased and even continued
throughout the night. The military reportedly refused to follow
orders to fire live ammunition, and exercised restraint overall.
There were no reports of major casualties.
1 February 2011: Mubarak made a televised address once again
after unceasing protests, and offered several concessions. He
pledged he would not run for another term in elections planned for
September, and pledged political reforms. He stated he would
stay in office to oversee a peaceful transition. Small but violent
clashes began that night between pro-Mubarak and anti-Mubarak
groups.
2 February 2011: "Battle of the Camel". Violence escalated as
waves of Mubarak supporters met anti-government protesters,
and some Mubarak supporters rode on camels and horses into
Tahrir Square. The clashes were believed to have been
orchestrated by Habib El Adly, and there were hundreds of
casualties. The military tried to limit the violence, repeatedly
separating anti-Mubarak and pro-Mubarak groups. President
Mubarak reiterated his refusal to step down in interviews with
several news agencies. Incidents of violence toward journalists
and reporters escalated amid speculation that the violence was
being actively aggravated by Mubarak as a way to end the
protests.
6 February 2011: Egyptian Christians held Sunday Mass in Tahrir
Square, protected by a ring of Muslims. Negotiations involving
Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman and representatives of
the opposition commenced amid continuing protests throughout
the nation. The Egyptian army assumed greater security
responsibilities, maintaining order and guarding Egypt¶s
museums. Suleiman offered reforms, while others of Mubarak's
regime accused foreign nations, including the US, of interfering in
Egypt¶s affairs.
10 February 2011: Mubarak formally addressed Egypt amid
speculation of a military coup, but rather than resigning (as was
widely expected), he simply stated he would delegate some of his
powers to Vice President Suleiman, while continuing as Egypt's
head of state. Reactions to Mubarak's statement were marked by
anger, frustration and disappointment, and throughout various
cities there was an escalation of the number and intensity of
demonstrations.
11 February 2011: The "Friday of Departure": Massive protests
continued in many cities as Egyptians refused the concessions
announced by Mubarak. Finally, at 6:00 p.m. local time, Suleiman
announced Mubarak's resignation, entrusting the Supreme
Council of Egyptian Armed Forces with the leadership of the
country.
13 February 2011: The Supreme Council dissolved Egypt¶s
parliament and suspended the Constitution in response to
demands by demonstrators. The council also declared that it
would hold power for six months, or until elections could be held.
Calls were made that the council provide more details and
specific timetables and deadlines. Major protests subsided but did
not end. In a gesture to a new beginning, protesters cleaned up
and renovated Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the
demonstrations, although many pledged they would continue
protests until all demands had been met.
17 February 2011: The army stated it would not field a candidate
in the upcoming presidential elections.[93] Four important figures of
the former regime were detained on that day: former interior
minister Habib el-Adly, former minister of housing Ahmed
Maghrabi and former tourism minister Zuheir Garana, as well as
steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz.[94]
2 March 2011: The constitutional referendum has been tentatively
scheduled for 19 March 2011, but the date is yet to be officially
confirmed.[95]
3 March 2011: A day before large protests against him were
planned, Ahmed Shafik stepped down as PM and was replaced
byEssam Sharaf.[96]
5 March 2011: Several State Security Intelligence (SSI) buildings
were raided across Egypt by protesters, including the
headquarters for Alexandria Governorate and the main national
headquarters in Nasr City, Cairo. Protesters state they raided the
buildings to secure documents they believed to show various
crimes committed by the SSI against the people of Egypt during
Mubarak's rule.[97][98]
6 March 2011: From the Nasr City headquarters protesters
acquired evidence of mass surveillance and vote rigging, and
noted rooms full of videotapes, piles of shredded and burned
documents, and cells where activists recounted their experiences
of detention and torture.[99]
19 March 2011: The constitutional referendum was held and
passed by 77.27%[100]
22 March 2011: Parts of Interior Ministry building catches fire
during police demonstrations outside it.[101]
23 March 2011: The Egyptian Cabinet orders a law criminalizing
protests and strikes. Under the new law, anyone organizing or
calling for a protest will be sentenced to jail and/or a fine of
LE500,000 (~100,000 USD).[102]
1 April 2011: The "Save the Revolution" day; Hundreds of
thousands of demonstrators filled Tahrir Square on Friday for the
largest protest in weeks, demanding that the ruling military council
move faster to dismantle lingering aspects of the old regime.[103]
[edit]Cities and regions : Mass civil disobedience

Protesters in Alexandria
Two Egyptian divers in Hurgada holding a banner underwater
saying "Leave before the oxygen runs out"

Protesters removing portraits of Ex-president Mubarak

in Sohag City in upper Egypt
Cairo
Cairo has been at the epicentre of much of the crisis. The largest
protests were held in downtown Tahrir Square, which was
considered the "protest movement¶s beating heart and most
effective symbol."[104] On the first three days of the protests, there
were clashes between the central security police and protesters
and as of 28 January, police forces withdrew from all of Cairo.
Citizens then formed neighbourhood watch groups to keep the
order as widespread looting was reported. Traffic police were
reintroduced to Cairo on the morning of 31 January.[105] An
estimated 2 million people protested at Tahrir square.[6]
Alexandria
Alexandria, the home of Khaled Saeed, had major protests and
clashes against the police. Demonstrations continued and one on
3 February was reported to include 750,000 people.[ 


%%]
There were few confrontations as not many Mubarak
supporters were around, except in occasional motorized convoys
escorted by police. The breakdown of law and order, including the
general absence of police on the streets, continued through to at
least the evening of 3 February, including the looting and burning
of one the country's largest shopping centres.[ 


%%]
Alexandria protests were notable for the presence of
Christians and Muslims jointly taking part in the events following
the church bombing on 1 January, which saw street protests
denouncing Mubarak's regime following the attack.
Mansoura
In the northern city of Mansoura there were protests against the
Mubarak regime every day from 25 January onwards. One protest
on 1 February was estimated at one million people,[ 


%%]
while on 3 February, 70,000 people were reported on the
streets.[ 

%%]
Siwa
The remote city of Siwa has thus far been reported as relatively
calm.[106] Local sheikhs, who were reportedly in control of the
community, put the community under lockdown after a nearby
town was "torched."[107]
Suez
The city of Suez has seen the most violence of the protests thus
far. Eyewitness reports have suggested that the death toll there
may be higher, although confirmation has been difficult due to a
ban on media coverage in the area.[108] Some online activists
have referred to Suez as Egypt's Sidi Bouzid, the Tunisian city
where protests started.[109] A labor strike was held on 8
February.[110] Large protests took place on 11 February.[111]
Tanta
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets from the first
day (Jan. 25th) and most of the days after until Feb. 11th. It
exceeded a hundred thousand many times. Some hospitals
reported casualties during the clashes of Friday Jan. 28th.
Beni Suef
City of Beni Suef have seen repeated protests in front of the City
Hall On el Kourneish, in front of Omar abd el Aziz Mosque, and in
El Zerayeen Square, on most days of the protests and
demonstrations. 12 protesters have been killed when Police
Opened fire at Mass groups protesting in front of the Police
Station in Beba, South Beni suef. Many others got injured. Thugs
and outlaws have robbed many Governmental garages and
burned down several Governmental buildings.
Luxor
There were also protests in Luxor.[112]
Sinai Peninsula
Bedouins in the Sinai Peninsula fought the security forces for
several weeks.[113]
Sharm-El-Sheikh
No protests or civil unrest took place in Sharm-El-Sheikh on 31
January.[114] All was still calm as Hosni Mubarak and his family left
on 11 February.[111]
Deirout
Police opened fire on protesters in the Deirout near the southern
suburbs of Cairo and Asyut, on 11 February.[111]
Shebin el-Kom
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Shebin el-
Kom on 11 February.[111]
El-Arish
Thousands protested in the city of El-Arish, in the Sinai Peninsula
on 11 February.[111]
Sohag
Large protests took place in the southern city of Sohag on 11
February.[111]
Minya
Large protests took place in the southern city of Minya on 11
February.[111]
Ismailia
Nearly 100,000 people protested in and about the local
government headquarters in Ismaïlia on 11 February.[111]
Kafr El Sheikh
Large protests took place on 28 January and 4 February all
over Kafr el-Sheikh.[ 

%%]
Zagazig
Over 100,000 protesters took place in the 27 January in front of
the city council in Zagazig.
[edit]Deaths

A memorial in Tahrir Square made by the demonstrators in honor

of those who died during the protests, regarded as %/˯ ΍Ωϩε
± "martyrs" ± in Egyptian parlance. The captions in the pictures
attribute most of the deaths to police violence.
Sally Zahran, who was killed during the demonstrations
Leading up to the protests, at least six cases of self-
immolation were reported, including a man arrested while trying to
set himself on fire in downtown Cairo.[115] These cases were
inspired by, and began exactly one month after, the acts of self-
immolation in Tunisia triggering the 2010±2011 Tunisian uprising.
Six instances have been reported, including acts by Abdou Abdel-
Moneim Jaafar,[116] Mohammed Farouk Hassan,[117] Mohammed
Ashour Sorour,[118] and Ahmed Hashim al-Sayyed who later died
from his injuries.[119]
As of 30 January, ,01
 reported as many as 150 deaths in
the protests.[120] Y
reported that the dead could include at
least 10 policemen, 3 of whom were killed in Rafahby "an
enraged mob".[121]
By 29 January, 2,000 people were known to be injured.[122] The
same day, an employee of the Azerbaijani embassy in Egypt was
killed while returning home from work in Cairo;[123]the next day
Azerbaijan sent a plane to evacuate citizens[124] and opened a
criminal investigation into the death.[125]
Funerals for the dead on the "Friday of Anger" were held on 30
January. Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funerals calling
for Mubarak's removal.[126] By 1 February, the protests had left at
least 125 people dead,[127] although Human Rights Watch said
that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay claimed
that as many as 300 people may have died in the unrest. This
unconfirmed tally included 80 Human Rights Watch-verified
deaths at two Cairo hospitals, 36 in Alexandria, and 13 in the port
city of Suez, amongst others;[128][129][130] over 3,000 people were
also reported as injured.[128][129][130]

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[edit]International reactions
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International reactions have varied with most Western states
saying peaceful protests should continue but also expressing
concern for the stability of the country and the region. Many states
in the region expressed concern and supported Mubarak, while
others like Tunisia and Iran supported the protests. Israel was
most cautious for change, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu asking his government ministers to maintain silence
and urging Israel's US and European allies to curb their criticism
of President Mubarak;[146][147] however, an Arab-
Israeli parliamentarian supported the protests. There were also
numerous solidarity protests for the anti-government protesters
around the world.
NGOs also expressed concern about the protests and the
ensuing heavy-handed state response. Many countries also
issued travel warnings or began evacuating their citizens.
Even multinational corporations began evacuating
their expatriate workers.[148]
[edit]Post-ousting
Amid the growing concerns for the country, on 21 February, David
Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, became the first
world leader to visit Egypt since Mubarak was ousted as the
president 10 days previously. A news blackout was lifted as the
prime minister landed in Cairo for a brief five-hour stopover hastily
added at the start of a planned tour of the Middle East.[149]
[edit]Domestic responses
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"Nero burned Rome; Mubarak is burning Egypt"

On 29 January, Mubarak indicated he would be changing the
government because despite a "point of no return" being crossed,
national stability and law and order must prevail, that he had
requested the government, formed only months ago, to step
down, and that a new government would be formed.[150][à 


%%][151]
He then appointed Omar Suleiman, head of Egyptian
Intelligence, as vice president and Ahmed Shafik as prime
minister.[152]On 1 February, he spoke again saying he would stay
in office until the next election in September 2011 and then leave
without standing as a candidate. He also promised to make
political reforms.
Various opposition groups,[
! 

%%] including the Muslim
Brotherhood (MB), reiterated demands for Mubarak's resignation.
The MB also said, after protests turned violent, that it was time for
the military to intervene.[153] Mohammed ElBaradei, who said he
was ready to lead a transitional government,[154] was also the
consensus candidate by a unified opposition including: the ,
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committee".[156] On 5 February, a "national dialogue" was started
between the government and opposition groups to work out a
transitional period before democratic elections.
Many of Al-Azhar Imams joined the protesters on 30 January all
over the country.[157] Christian leaders asked their congregations
to stay away from protests, though a number of young Christian
activists joined the protests led by Wafd Party member Raymond
Lakah.[158]
The Egyptian state cracked down on the media, and shut down
internet access,[159] a primary means of communication for the
opposition. Journalists were also harassed by the regime's
supporters, eliciting condemnation from the Committee to Protect
Journalists, European countries and the United States.
Egyptian and foreign equity and commodity markets also reacted
negatively to the increasing instability.
On 13 February, an article in the state-controlled newspaper, Al-
Ahram, questioned the inclinations of Google Inc. and its
executive and activist, Wael Ghonim, due to certain translation
errors when using the Google Translate engine that were
perceived as dubious by some.[160] One reported error was
translating any fictitious phrase along the lines of "... occupies
Israel" in Arabic into "Israel occupies..." in English. Google
Translate is a statistical translation engine that uses web search
statistics rather than grammatical rules to yield a probable
translation.[161] Since "...occupies Israel" is a low-probability query
because Israel has not been occupied and "Israel occupies..." is a
higher-probability query on the other hand, the limitation of
statistical translation results in the inaccurate translation.
[edit]Reform process
   

 

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The protests initiated a process of social and political reform by
articulating a series of demands. Reform began with President
Mubarak's announcements that concessions would be made
towards reform and was highlighted by his resignation 18 days
after the protests started. The list of demands for broader
changes in Egyptian society and governance, articulated by
protesters and activists, includes the following:

A sign with the protesters' omnibus demands

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On 17 February, an Egyptian prosecutor ordered the detention of
three ex-ministers, former Interior Minister Habib el-Adli, former
Tourism Minister Zuhair Garana and former Housing Minister
Ahmed el-Maghrabi, and a prominent businessman, steel
magnate Ahmed Ezz, pending trial on suspicion of wasting public
funds. The public prosecutor also froze the accounts of Adli and
his family members on accusations that over 4 million Egyptian
pounds ($680,000) were transferred to his personal account by a
head of a contractor company, while calling on the Foreign
Minister to contact European countries and ask them to freeze the
accounts of the defendants.[166]
Meanwhile, the United States announced on the same day that it
was giving Egypt $150 million in crucial economic assistance to
help it transition towards democracy following the overthrow of
long time president Mubarak. US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said that William Burns, the Under-secretary of State for
political affairs, and David Lipton, a senior White House adviser
on international economics, would travel to Egypt the following
week.[166]
On 19 February, a moderate Islamic party, named (Arabic: ΏίΡ
ΪϳΪΠϟ΍ ςγϮϟ΍) Al-Wasat Al-Jadid, or theNew Center Party, which was
outlawed for 15 years was granted official recognition by an
Egyptian court. The party was founded in 1996 by activists who
split off from the Muslim Brotherhood and sought to create a
tolerant Islamic movement with liberal tendencies, but its attempts
to register as an official party were rejected four times since then.
On the same day, Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq said 222 political
prisoners would be released. He said only a few were detained
during the popular uprising and put the number of remaining
political prisoners at 487, but did not say when they would be
released.[167]
On 20 February, Dr. Yehia El Gamal(ar) a well known activist and
law professor, announced (on TV channels) accepting a Vice
Prime Minister position within the new government that will be
announced on 21±22 February. He also announced the removal
of many of the previous government members to alleviate the
situation.
On 21 February, the Muslim Brotherhood announced it would
form a political party for the upcoming parliamentary election,
called theFreedom and Justice Party, which was to be led by
Dr. Saad Ketatni.[168][169][170] Its spokesperson noted that "when we
talk about the slogans of the revolution ± freedom, social justice,
equality ± all of these are in the Sharia (Islamic law)."[171]
On 3 March, Prime Minister Shafik submitted his resignation to
the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The Council
appointedEssam Sharaf, a former Minister of Transport who
began vocal criticism of the regime following his resignation,
particularly after theQalyoub rail accident in 2006, to replace
Shafik and form a new government. Sharaf's appointment is seen
as a significant concession to protesters, as he had been actively
involved during the action at Tahrir Square.[172][173][174] Sharaf
appointed former International Court of Justice judge Nabil
Elaraby as Foreign Minister and General Mansour El Essawi as
Interior Minister.[175][176]
[edit]Court trials of state officials accused of corruption
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The ousting of Mubarak was followed by a series of arrests of,
and / or imposed travel bans on high profile figures on charges of
causing the death of 300-500 demonstrators, and the injury of
5,000 more, as well as charges
of embezzlement, profiteering, money laundry and abuse of
human rights. Among these figures are Mubarak himself, his
wife Suzanne Mubarak, his son Gamal, his sonAlaa, the former
Interior Minister Habib el-Adly, the former Housing Minister
Ahmed El-Maghrabi, the former Tourism Minister Zoheir
Garana and the former Secretary of the National Democratic
Party for Organisational Affairs Ahmed Ezz.[177] Mubarak's ousting
was also followed by widespread allegations of corruption against
numerous other government officials and senior
politicians [178][179] On 28 February 2011, Egypt's top prosecutor
ordered an asset freeze for Mubarak and his family.[180] This was
followed by arrest warrants, travel bans and judicial orders to
freeze the assets of other known public figures, including the
former Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament, Fathi Sorour, and the
former Speaker of the Higher Legislative Body (Shura
Council), Safwat El Sherif.[181][182] Arrest warrants were also
issued against some public figures who left the country with the
outbreak of the revolution. These warrants were issued on
allegations of financial misappropriations, rather than human
rights abuses. Among these public figures are Rachid Mohamed
Rachid, the former Minister of Trade and Industry and Hussein
Salem, a business tycoon. Salem is believed to have left for
Dubai[183]
Trials of the accused officials started on March 5, 2011 when the
former Interior Minster of Egypt, Habib el-Adli, appeared before
the Giza Criminal Court in Cairo.[184] The trials of el-Adli and other
public figures are expected to run a lengthy course.
[edit]Analysis
[edit]Regional instability
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The Egyptian Revolution, along with the events in Tunisia, have
sparked a wave of major
uprisings. Demonstrations and protests have spread across
the Middle East and North Africa. To
date Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Morocco and Yemen h
ave all seen major protests, and minor incidents have occurred
in Iraq, Kuwait, Mauritania, Oman, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Syria.
[edit]Religion and politics
A Copt Christian (left) and aSalafi Muslim (right) debate inY


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 on politics and the revolution.
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The protests in Egypt were not centered around religion-based
politics, but nationalism and a broad-based social
consciousness.[185] Before the uprising, the most organized and
prominent opposition movements throughout the Arab world
usually came from Islamist organizations that relied on a
conviction of their faith, where members were motivated and
ready to sacrifice. However, secular forces emerged fortified from
the revolution ± if not with an ideology, then at least with concepts
that had found a deep, new resonance among an entire
population: freedom, social justice, and dignity. Islamist
organizations have also emerged with greater freedom to operate.
There has been a change from the intellectual stagnation created
by decades of repression, which simply presented modernity and
Islam as conflicting and incompatible. Islamists and secularists
have been faced with new opportunities for dialogue and
discourse, on matters such as the role of Islam and Sharia in
society and freedom of speech, or the impact of secularism on a
predominantly Muslim population. This is driven by the existence
of a new generation of Islamists who are more flexible in their
positions, as well as the fact that the protests had brought
together and enabled Egyptians of all ideological, political, and
religious backgrounds to interact with each other.[186]
Shlomo Ben-Ami argues Egypt's most formidable task is to refute
the old paradigm of the Arab World that sees the only choices for
regimes as between either repressive, secular dictatorships or
repressive theocracies. However, being a central part of society,
any emergent regime is bound to be more attuned to religion. In
his view a democracy that excludes all religion from public life, as
in France, cannot succeed in Egypt, and that no Arab democracy
could disallow the participation of political Islam if it is to be
genuine.[187]
[edit]Women's role
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From left to right: a female protester wearing a niqāb and political
activist Gigi Ibrahim.[188]
Egyptian women were highly active throughout the revolution.
They took part in the protests themselves, were present in news
clips and on Facebook forums, and were part of the leadership
during the Egyptian revolution. In Tahrir Square, female
protesters, some with their children, worked to support the
protests. The overall peacefulness of the protesters, despite
provocations, was credited in part to the participation of many
women and children. The diversity of the protesters in Tahrir
Square was visible in the women who participated; many wore
head scarves and other signs of religious conservatism, while
others revelled in the freedom to kiss a friend or smoke
a cigarette in public. Egyptian women also organized protests,
and reported on the events; female bloggers such as Leil Zahra
Mortada risked abuse or imprisonment by keeping the world
informed of the daily scene in Tahrir Square and
elsewhere.[189] Among those who died was Sally Zahran, who was
beaten to death during one of the
demonstrations. NASA reportedly plans to name one of
its Mars exploration spacecraft in Zahran's honor.[190]
The wide participation and the significant contributions by
Egyptian women to the protests have been attributed to the fact
that many, especially younger women, are better educated than
previous generations, representing more than half of Egyptian
university students. This has been an empowering factor for
women, who have become more present and active publicly in
recent years. The advent of social media has also helped provide
tools for women to become protest leaders.[189]
[edit]The military's role
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An M1 Abrams tank of the Egyptian Army deployed in Cairo
during the revolution
The Egyptian Armed Forces enjoy a better reputation with the
public than the police does, the former perceived as a
professional body protecting the country, the latter accused of
systemic corruption and illegitimate violence. All four Egyptian
presidents since the 1950s have come from the military into
power. Key Egyptian military personnel include the Defense
Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and General Sami Hafez
Enan, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.[191][192] The Egyptian
military totals around 468,500 well-armed active personnel, plus a
reserve of 479,000.[193]
As Head of Egypt's Armed Forces, Tantawi has been described
as "aged and change-resistant" and is attached to the old regime.
He has used his position as Defense Minister to oppose reforms,
economic and political, which he saw as weakening central
government authority. Other key figures, Sami Enan chief among
them, are younger and have closer connections to both the US
and groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood. An important aspect
of the relationship between the Egyptian and American military
establishments is the 1.3 billion dollars in military aid provided to
Egypt annually, which in turn pays for American-made military
equipment, and allows Egyptian officers to receive training in the
US. Guaranteed this aid package, the governing military council is
for the most reform-resistant.[194][195] One analyst however, while
conceding that the military is change-resistant, states it has no
option but to facilitate the process of democratization.
Furthermore, the military will have to keep its role in politics
limited to continue good relations with the West, and must not
restrict the participation of political Islam if there is to be a genuine
democracy.[187]
[edit]Online activism
We Are All Khaled Saeed is a Facebook group which formed in
the aftermath of Saeed's beating and death. The group attracted
hundreds of thousands of members worldwide and played a
prominent role in spreading and bringing attention to the growing
discontent. As the protests began, Google executive Wael
Ghonim revealed that he was the person behind the
account.[196] Another potent viral online contribution was made
by Asmaa Mahfouz, a female activist who posted a video in which
she challenged people to publicly protest.[197] Previously,
Facebook had suspended the group because some of its
administrators were using pseudonyms, a violation of the
company's 'Terms of Service.' [198]
The usage of social media has been extensive.[199][200] As one
Egyptian activist succinctly tweeted during the protests there, "We
use Facebook to schedule the protests, Twitter to coordinate, and
YouTube to tell the world." [201] Internet censorship has also been
extensive, and in some cases comprehensive to the extent of
taking entire nation-states practically off-line.[202]
[edit]Role of social media
It is readily believed that a hand full of people
through Facebook, Twitter, and blogging sparked this uprising.
One of which is Wael Ghonim . Many believe Ghonim was the
first contributor to spark the Egypt revolution when he created
a Facebook page dedicated to a Kaled blank entitled We Are All
Khaled Saeed . Said, an Egyptian business man was beaten to
death by police in June 2010. It is believed that this was in
retaliation to a video he posted showing Egyptian police sharing
the spoils of a drug bust. The Facebook page blew up to over
400,000 followers, creating an online arena where protestors and
those discontent with the government could gather, vent, and
organize. The page called for protests on January 25, Known as
the day of wrath. Hundreds of thousands of protestors flooded the
streets to show their discontent with the murder and the
corruption within their country. Ghonim was jailed the 28th and
released 12 days later. Ghonim has also gained quiet a large
following through his twitter account where he has been creating
a narrative of the events happening day to day in Egypt. Ghonim
is the Middle East and North African marketing manager at
Google. He is currently on leave.
Another major contributor is Egyptian activist and member of the
April 6th movement Aasma Mahfouz. A week before the first
protest she posted a video urging the Egyptian people to meet her
at the Tahrir Square, rise up against the government, and
demand democracy. In the video she also speaks of 4 protestors
who had set themselves on fire in revolt against the 30 years they
had to live in poverty and degradation. January 24 she again
posted a video chronicling the efforts that people have made to
support the protest from printing posters to creating flyers. The
videos were first posted to Facebook, then to YouTube where
they went Viral in Egypt within a matter of days. The day after her
last vlog posting hundreds of thousands of Egyptians poured into
the streets in protest.
Though these two are credited with being the first social media
faces of this revolution, since the 25th people have posted videos,
tweeted, and wrote Facebook comments to keep the world
abreast of the turmoil in Egypt. Including videos posted of a badly
beaten Khaled Said, disproving the first claims by the police that
he had choked to death.
[edit]Foreign relations
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Foreign governments in the West including the US have regarded
Mubarak as an important ally and supporter in the Israeli-
Palestinianpeace negotiations.[36] After wars with Israel in 1967
and '73, Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979, provoking
controversy in the Arab world. As provisioned in the 1978 Camp
David Accords, which led to the peace treaty, both Israel and
Egypt receive billions of dollars in aid annually from the United
States, with Egypt receiving over US$1.3 billion of military aid
each year in addition to economic and development
assistance.[203] According to Juan Cole, many Egyptian youth feel
ignored by Mubarak on the grounds that he is not looking out for
their best interests and that he rather serves the interests of
the West.[204] The cooperation of the Egyptian regime in enforcing
the blockade of the Gaza Strip was also deeply unpopular
amongst the general Egyptian public.[205]
c