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[Il Palazzo]

I wish the Yemeni protests and riots were getting more press right now.  Their viva-la-revolution-color of choice is apparently bright pink, which is just an awe inspiring sight.

It seems that the revolutionaries are running out of colours to choose.

[olemars]

They can also choose types of fabric or flora and fauna. In Tunisia they went with the Jasmin Revolution. It's a bit disappointing that the egyptians haven't picked a signature yet, they should have put more thought into this before hitting the streets. Media demands a catchphrase!

[Leafsnail]

Well, the cases mentioned were specifically where people would line up in front of the police cordons to pray, explicitly daring the police to attack them.  Since they never took the bait, it doesn't seem to be happening anymore.  Some of the reporters have anecdotes about bearded men in traditional garb trying to whip up a religious frenzy before being shouted down by blogger-types in polo shirts.  The Muslim Brotherhood organization does publicly claim to be active in the protests, but good luck finding them.

Well, for many Muslims, if it's time to pray, it's time to pray.  I mean, if it were any of noon, afternoon or sunset especially.

[Aqizzar]

The Army is still in streets, still doing exactly nothing.  These live shots are incredible - column after column of T-72s and M113 parked in streets, with people milling around them, climbing on them, throwing the peace sign and taking cell-pictures, and freely conversing with the crews.  It's like a really laid-back parade.  And they're calling it a "revolution" and no one is stopping them.  There is no leadership or organization to the protests.  Even with cell-service coming back online, people just go wherever they want and form crowds the old fashioned way.  But every reporter on the ground can ask anyone he sees and get the same list of demands - economic reforms, freer policing, and most of all Mubarak's resignation.

Some BBC reporter said he managed to interview one tank commander.  He had not received any order to use force unless direly threatened, which they haven't been.  He readily said that a T-72 is only good for blowing up other tanks and not keeping order without mowing down crowds.  And if does actually get an order to open fire at people, he said he'd throw off his jacket and run for it, at which his crew nodded in agreement.  As is, the confirmed damage stands at 40 or so dead and thousands in various states of "injured", mostly from vehicle accidents and at least a couple scattered live-fire incidents.

President Obama made a half-hour phone call to Mubarak last night.  Exactly what they said is still private, but was supposedly very a very blunt and concise message to Mubarak: do something to resolve this, and do it peacefully.  The police have abandoned their posts, the Army is sitting on its hands, and no other country, namely the United States, is coming to Mubrarak's aid.  By the sound of it, Mubarak has about two options: Wait around in his secure location for a few days until everyone gets bored and hungry and goes home, so he can try to restart a negotiation with his own country, which can't possibly result in anything but concession for very long.  Or give it up and get while the getting's good.

It's kind of an odd situation, seeing a country in open revolt, stalled at the gate between people dethroning the leader (who they can't get their hands on), but who no one is going to defend.  I'm wondering, if virtually the entire population of Cairo is in the streets, climbing on tanks and roasting marshmallows on SWAT vans, why do they even bother still calling Mubarak the President?  Just go spring ElBaradi out of his house, walk into the capitol, and start claiming desks whether Mubarak likes it or not.

[nenjin]

Yeah, the Age of Information is mighty inconvenient for dictators. The whole ruling through power and fear thing falls apart when you stall in the face of the world's attention. (Not to belittle the fact the military is practically its own political wing there.)

The fact he's been brought to a stalemate has guaranteed them some form of change.

[Africa]

  I'm wondering, if virtually the entire population of Cairo is in the streets, climbing on tanks and roasting marshmallows on SWAT vans, why do they even bother still calling Mubarak the President?  Just go spring ElBaradi out of his house, walk into the capitol, and start claiming desks whether Mubarak likes it or not.

That's what's scary. If it's not an organized protest movement (and it doesn't seem to be) then there's nobody to step up to the plate and do this - and there's a good chance that whoever does is going to be either incompetent or worse than the old regime.

[Alexhans]

Should I feel guilty of a sudden urge to play Tropico?

on a serious note, there seems to be a lot of fear mongering in order to dismiss the positive effects of the protests.  There's a saying in spanish that says "Mejor malo conocido que bueno por conocer" that could be translated to "(choose) Known evil rather than good to discover".  This is not a valid argument to justify a dictator that people oppose.

Oh! LOL!  This just in, New vicepresident appointed by President Mubarak. 

[Aqizzar]

Oh! LOL!  This just in, New vicepresident appointed by President Mubarak.

Omar Suliman, the Head of Intelligence and Mubarak's right hand man for years and a virtual clone of him, appointed to the Vice Presidency, a seat left vacant since Mubarak left it for Head Honcho thirty years ago.

Yeah, that's pretty much the biggest middle finger the guy could give to his detractors.

[DJ]

So why hasn't he been lynched yet?

[Alexhans]

Or, the first step towards a "dignified" retirement?

[Aqizzar]

Or, the first step towards a "dignified" retirement?

Not one anyone's going to like.  I mean, if people want Mubarak exiled, and they do, Suleiman may or may not be a good compromise for replacement, if the grand vizier being shuffled from one irreproachable office to another is what people can expect in a "reformed" government.  But Richard Engel says he's a more respected figure, so who the Hell really knows.

Also, with the rule of law completely gone and government forces turned to very nervous window dressing, wide spread looting has broken out in the rich part of town.  Worth noting that Egypt and especially Cairo has pretty high income disparity, especially with the economic downturn and such.

[Alexhans]

My point was more that it might be a way stand down but save face.

What the NDP does after (who they approach to conciliate possible reforms and future elections) will be crucial for the development of the protests.

EDIT: as for the looting part.  You might be overestimating the spreading of such phenomenom.  Having lived through a similar event (with great background differences, but I'm talking about the looting) in 2001 in Argentina, I can guess that people will organize themselves to protect their residential neighborhoods and commerces. 

There are reports (AlJaz) of people taking over police duties (there's virtually no police on the streets right now) like traffic control, guarding places, stopping looters, etc.

The only problem is... What I got from Mubarak's speech last night is that he doesn't see the reality at all.  He doesn't think he should leave for a couple of rioters who loot and manipulate the general public via the evil internet.  He might just be trying to find a specific trait to appease his people.

[Eugenitor]

The Egyptians seem to be pretty smart w/r/t the looting business. Only the individually rich are being targeted. National treasures like the museum seem to be well-protected.

They just need somebody to step up to the plate and start governing.

[Aqizzar]

They just need somebody to step up to the plate and start governing.

They seem to be getting there.  Live video and reports shows tens of thousands of people piling into Tahrir Square outside the Interior Ministry, trying to storm the gates.  It seems to be one of the last places with a genuine security service.  Bullets have been fired and at least a couple people are dead.

The former Interior head is holed up in his house, under siege, with people waving bloody shirts at the gate.  Mubarak's son, and heir apparent until last week, has left the country with his wife.  The Army has been ordered into the Square but has not arrived and apparently isn't even moving - crews are sitting on their tanks watching the crowds mill by.  The "streets" are whispering about a coup, but Army officials are refusing to say anything one way or the other.  The American embassy is getting people out by any planes that will fly, but nobody has actually been ordered to leave.

Update: Al-Jaz Reports: Confirmed dead in Tahrir Square, people packed shoulder to shoulder outside the Interior Ministry, chanting about martyrs.  Live fire alongside rubber bullets, it's not entirely clear who's been killed by what.  The military remains completely ineffectual.  At least a couple abandoned (presumably) military vehicles have been burned.  The Cairo Stock Market has announced that it won't open for business tomorrow or until further notice.  Israel has evacuated it's ambassadorial population.  The Suez Canal is still open, and the Canal Authority is doing it's best to stay operational, regardless of whatever the rest of the government does.  A few other government offices have been named - the former head of the air force has been appointed Prime Minister, no other examples handy.

[Eugenitor]

The government security services have become the looters in certain neighborhoods. They're carrying their IDs on them while going around on motorcycles looting downtown stores.