Mubarak Continues to Fight

By Emad Mekay

From the ground in Cairo:

Just outside Tahrir Square right now. Pro-Mubarak “hired muscle” are attacking journalists and stopping them from going into the square. These are the government types, possibly even police staff in plainclothes. They are confiscating all cameras. They set up road blocks around most entryways to the square. I sense they may be preparing for something tomorrow, Friday. Friday has been called by the anti-Mubarak movement “The Departure Friday” i.e. a day in which Mubarak will decide to step down.

Government supporters and apparently former police force members are searching all those heading towards Tahrir before turning them back. They confiscate food, water and medicine.

Mubarak may be preparing for something which they do not the world to see.

The government is using all tools it can to swart tomorrow’s big march in Tahrir Square and elsewhere. They are sending text messages in Arabic through the local mobile phone companies warning people from “getting into trouble” . One message reads: “Oh you young people of Egypt, listen to the voice of reason and be warned of rumors. Egypt is above all”. Mubarak has always portrayed himself as a wise man and the “voice of reason”.

Extra violence has cost Mubarak heavily here. Whoever is advising him is betting on him crushing the pro-democracy movement – at the cost of so much blood.

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  1. Eric Margolis in an interview with Scott Horton reminds us that he had identified Sueliman as Mubarak’s successor back in April. His long ties to the CIA should raise questions. Perhaps he’s advised by Kissinger and is sensitive to appearances.

  2. I have a feeling Mubarak has gone as far as he will go. He’s staying until September unless the army should “persuade” him otherwise (and there seems to be no inclination on their part to do so). Tomorrow may be a difficult day.

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