db: Gibbs: America Will Not Take Sides in Egypt

[twa]

I think what people are forgetting when comparing Egypt and Iran is that Egyptians are primarily Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims believe that the Imams are infallible and that they are given their right by God - the Ayatollah, for example, is believed to be infallible. Sunnis dont believe that Imams are infallible, they believe they are just enlightened by the word of God, not by God himself.

Another thing about the military - they are secular. You cant be a high ranking officer within the Egyptian Military if you are a conservative Muslim. I think that will also play a role in this.

Not that simple....now why would they ban conservative Muslim officers if there are no worries from Sunni?

sorry don't have time to give a dissertion

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Not that simple....now why would they ban conservative Muslim officers if there are no worries from Sunni?

They ban them because they dont want the officers to feel like they cant kill due to religious beliefs. If the person is secular, they can put aside their religious beliefs and do their duty. Also, your wife cannot be veiled either...that counts as being conservative.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Yes there is. Khomeni had a larger constituency in Iran than the Moslem Brotherhood has in Egpt from my understanding.

However their is not a large difference between the stated goals of Khomeni in creating an Islamic theocracy in Iran; and the Moslem brotherhoods long heald stated goals for Egypt. They too want to create a theocratic state with the Quaran and Shia law at it's center. Worse the Moslem botherhood also has expressed violent intent against Israel, and the wish their islamic theocracy to eventually encumpus all muslim majority nations. "dar el Islam" in a return of the Caliphate.

My man, are you kidding me? Khomeni had a larger constituency? How about Khomeni was the face of the Iranian opposition? Were there other liberal and moderate opposition groups in Iran (that messed up by joining him)? Of course. But Khomeni was it. The Iranian Revolution isn't possible without Khomeni.

There is absolutely nothing--outside of Mubarak propoganda--that indicates that the Muslim Brotherhood has even remotely the same role here. Outside of ousting a dictator I'm not seeing much in common with the Iranian Revolution. The Iranian Revolution was largely driven by religious and anti-imperialism/anti-America fervor. I think this is more similar to the Iran's failed Green Revolution. Hopefully the outcomes are different.

And is there a Middle East/Arab/Muslim group that doesn't trash Israel? Of course if they could do it, I'm sure the Muslim Brotherhood would erradicate Israel. But there is a giant gap between what one wants and what one can do. The people aren't out dying so they can then go to war with Israel. They aren't dying so they can get crushed by Israel yet again.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I also really don't understand conservatives who backed the Iraq War and Bush's whole "spread democracy throughout the Middle East" thing and are now supporting Mubarak. Isn't this what they wanted? Or did they just want democracy if we were the ones dictating it?

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 02:47 PM ----------

Egyptian State TV: 1 dead, 400 wounded. What a ****ing joke.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Its times like this when I really get angry about the Iraq War...it completely has ruined our standing in the Middle East. If we didnt have such poor approval ratings, we probably could do such much more in the Middle East when the countries revolt

[Larry]

Its times like this when I really get angry about the Iraq War...it completely has ruined our standing in the Middle East. If we didnt have such poor approval ratings, we probably could do such much more in the Middle East when the countries revolt

Uh, I would assert that the Iraq War didn't hurt our "moral standing" in this fight nearly as much as some other things, like, say, . . .

Supporting Mubarik for 40 years.

Supporting Hussein, for how long?

Supporting Israel, no matter what they do.

In fact, our entire policy of "as long as they behave, we prefer dictators".

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Uh, I would assert that the Iraq War didn't hurt our "moral standing" in this fight nearly as much as some other things, like, say, . . .

I'm talking about in my conversations with people my age over there....its always the Iraq War. That is always brought up...its the one they love to use the most as to why they dont want American involvement in their affairs.

[visionary]

Sorry, I haven't been paying attention to this thread. and don't have time to go back and re-read it all.

Visionary, are you in Egypt?

~Bang

Ah, nope. I was watching the news and reading the live blogs all morning (almost five hours straight) though trying to keep up with everything going on in Egypt.

[JMS]

I'm talking about in my conversations with people my age over there....its always the Iraq War. That is always brought up...its the one they love to use the most as to why they dont want American involvement in their affairs.

Well to be fair Saddam was in power for what 25 years and in that time was involved actively in wars for 12 of those years.. Three wars Iraq lost big time. About 11 or 12 of the remaining years Saddam's policies had Iraq suffering under debilitating embargos and kept by foreign military force from being about to use such national assets as oil, airspace, and their highways without significant restrictions. What's left of Saddam's rule was about 2 years of peace.

Saddam was an exceptionally agressive and unprinsipled ruler who alligned himself with soviet Russia not the United States and who waged war against otherwise peaceful neighbors including Arab neighbors when he thought it was to his advantage to do so, which was pretty much always.. If the "young people" you are talking to are sheding tears to be rid of Saddam Husien.. they're idiots and incredible biased in the first place.

Not that I was in favor of the war with Iraq. There are probable 10 worse dictators at the time some of them our close allies. I didn't care Saddam got taken out. I just didn't think it was worth the loves or money for the US to do it.

[visionary]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/02/egypt-crisis-prepping-for-another-day-of-protests/?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

[update 8:17 p.m. Cairo, 1:17 p.m. ET] Peaceful protests have been taking place Wednesday in other neighborhoods of Cairo - Mohandessin, Heliopolis and Corniche - and the rural cities of El-Minya and El-Mahalla, CNN's Ben Wedeman reported. Most of the demonstrators in those places appear to be women, children, scholars and Coptic priests, he reported.

A spokesman for Egypt's Foreign Ministry called on international leaders to butt out of the country's internal strife, telling CNN, "We know what is in the best interest of our society." Hossam Zaki said the clashes between pro- and anti-government demonstrators in Cairo reflect "the very raw and high emotions" of the Egyptian people, and "what is required now is for people to calm down."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#1900: A close adviser to President Hosni Mubarak has told the BBC that the president is determined to "tough it out", and will not give in to demands that he step down immediately. He was speaking to our correspondent, Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, who went to the wealthy Cairo suburb of Heliopolis to meet him - and was then detained by Egypt's secret police.

#1904: The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes says: "Heliopolis is not like the rest of Cairo. It has grand houses and leafy boulevards. Here the police are still welcomed on the streets. This is the home of Egypt's ruling elite - people like Dr Magid Boutros - a close adviser to Mr Mubarak. He says the president is now determined to stand and fight: 'He's an army man. Military commanders, if they abandon their posts, they are shot.' Outside on the street I was confronted by members of Egypt's ruling class - educated, articulate and angry.

As we returned from Heliopolis our car was forced of the road by another group of angry men. They handed us over to the dreaded Mukhabarat - the secret police in their brown leather jackets. We were handcuffed and blindfolded and taken to an interrogation cell. Three hours later we were released onto a remote backstreet. The regime is hardening its attitude to the protestors and to the foreign media. Egypt's ruling class is fighting back."

[Larry]

I'm talking about in my conversations with people my age over there....its always the Iraq War. That is always brought up...its the one they love to use the most as to why they dont want American involvement in their affairs.

Then I'll take your informed "survey" over my theory-only "opinion".

[visionary]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

A couple of posts from earlier:

#1816: A senior US official tells the Reuters news agency that the violence on the streets of Cairo has triggered a debate within President Mubarak's inner circle about whether he needs to do more to meet the demands of the protesters.

#1820: CNN's Ben Wedeman in Cairo tweets: "State TV showing urgent banner warning everyone in Tahrir square to evacuate immediately. (or else?)"

Here are two of the latest:

#1954: Channel 4's Jonathan Rugman tweets: "They are still chanting 'the regime must come down' in Tahrir Sq. Petrol bombs thrown from a roof."

#1959: Egypt's Vice-President Omar Suleiman says the protests must end before any talks with the opposition can start, urging all demonstrators to go home.

They're showing more molotovs being thrown at the protesters now on CNN, but I'm not sure if this is live footage or from earlier. Ah, going by the time in the corner of the screen it is live.

10:14 pm in Egypt and there are still molotov ****tails pouring down on the men, women, and children camped out in the square.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 03:28 PM ----------

Anderson Cooper is reporting that the anti-Mubarak protesters have created makeshift shields to protect themselves and are currently holding the square and outnumbering the Mubarak supporters by a good number. He also says there are a lot of lasers flashing on the square and wonders if they could be used by people with long range rifles. That last bit is just complete speculation though so far.

[HOF44]

Vis are you getting all caught up in another revolution???? After they way the Iranian one turned out?

[visionary]

Vis are you getting all caught up in another revolution???? After they way the Iranian one turned out?

Ha ha. I was worried about this one before it started.

I got a little caught up in all the excitement anyway though.

I should have known things were going too well.

[Bang]

Ah, nope. I was watching the news and reading the live blogs all morning (almost five hours straight) though trying to keep up with everything going on in Egypt.

Well, it's been a good read following along with your reports. Thanks

~Bang

[sjinhan]

anyone watching the live feed on cnn.com from Cooper Anderson's vantage point...

some surreal scene.. you can see people throwing molotav ****tails at each other...

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 04:49 PM ----------

anyone know which side of thislive feed are the protestors and which are the regiem supporters?

the guys on the north side of the picture has some shields protecting them and the guys are on the south side of the picture are scattered...

[visionary]

Well, it's been a good read following along with your reports. Thanks

~Bang

Thanks.

I'm partially trying to keep people informed who don't have access or time to watch the hours of tv I've watched today.

And partially I just need to vent after all the stuff I've been seeing. lol

There is another poster who IS or at least was in Egypt back when this started.

I don't think Jpkys has posted since last week though.

Hopefully just because the internet was down and nothing happened to him.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 03:55 PM ----------

anyone watching the live feed on cnn.com from Cooper Anderson's vantage point...

some surreal scene.. you can see people throwing molotav ****tails at each other...

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 04:49 PM ----------

anyone know which side of thislive feed are the protestors and which are the regiem supporters?

the guys on the north side of the picture has some shields protecting them and the guys are on the south side of the picture are scattered...

Not sure at the moment, but at one point the supporters were coming in from the left. That was a while ago though.

Earlier when the molotov ****tails started, the anti Mubarak protesters were also just trying to keep safe and the supporters down there were trying to get out of the way of the firebombs.

[sjinhan]

Not sure at the moment, but at one point the supporters were coming in from the left. That was a while ago though.

Earlier when the molotov ****tails started, the anti Mubarak protesters were also just trying to keep safe and the supporters down there were trying to get out of the way of the firebombs.

yeah pretty intense stuff... time to time.. it looks like the supports are starting to run to or away from something so it looks like if the chaos is about to break loose... really frightening to look at..

[visionary]

CNN is saying that the staff of the petrochemical company is saying they were told to protest by the government.

Also that the US is pretty confident that Mubarak is behind this.

Egypt said they will not bow to pressure from the US and that this is Mubarak's decision.

Here's some earlier blog updates from a little while ago:

[update 10:07 p.m. Cairo, 3:06 p.m. ET] Some of the protesters on the streets of Cairo are now targeting journalists. A Belgian reporter on Wednesday was arrested, beaten and accused of being a spy by men in plain clothes in the central Cairo neighborhood of Choubra, and in Tahrir Square, journalists from the BBC, Al-Arabiya, ABC News and CNN - including CNN's Anderson Cooper and Hala Gorani - also were attacked.

Cooper said he was hit on the head by a protester. Gorani said she slammed against some gates and threatened after getting caught in a stampede of protesters and counter-protesters riding on camels and horses Wednesday morning.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/02/02/ac.egypt.crew.hit.cnn?hpt=T1

Here's Gorani talking about it.

On CNN they're showing video footage of Cooper being beaten and kicked as he pleads for the Mubarak supporters to calm down.

Here's a video with him talking about that earlier, I don't see an online version of him being attacked yet.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/02/02/ac.egypt.crew.hit.cnn?hpt=T1

Cooper is saying live on tv now that they also tried to tear at the clothes of a woman with him.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 04:20 PM ----------

sounds like it's still pretty bad

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#2050: Al-Jazeera journalist Evan Hill tweets: "Protesters at museum now look like they outnumber the Mubarak supporters. They have formed a staggered wall of angled metal shields."

#2051: The Guardian's Jack Shenker reports that there is still "intense fighting" near Tahrir Square. "I can see Molotov ****tails being thrown from different roofs... There are two battles going on, one on the ground and one in the air, on the rooftops... They are throwing petrol bombs down on the crowd," he says.

#2059: The BBC's John Simpson in Cairo says: "There is still a lot of fighting going around Tahrir Square, particularly alongside the Egyptian National Museum. From where I am standing, I can see people throwing petrol bombs being thrown. From time to time you also hear quick bursts of gunfire, and see tracer rounds fly from one side of the square to the other. I suspect that is coming from soldiers, who are probably trying to dissuade people from coming too close or climbing on their tanks."

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 04:25 PM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#2116: Referring to the pro-government demonstrators, a senior US official tells the Reuters news agency that it is clear that "somebody loyal to Mubarak has unleashed these guys to try to intimidate the protesters".

#2120: The Committee to Protect Journalists has accused the Egyptian government of using "blanket censorship, intimidation, and today a series of deliberate attacks on journalists carried out by pro-government mobs" to deprive the world of independent information about the unrest. Reporters Without Borders, meanwhile, has said "infiltrated policemen" joined the assaults. The Egyptian government has denied the allegations.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 04:49 PM ----------

According to an Egyptian female writer and blogger talking on BBC it's unsafe for women to go alone on the streets, because supporters are wandering around and attacking people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#2136: Al-Arabiya quotes the Egyptian health minister as saying that three people have been killed in the violence in Cairo on Wednesday.

#2143: Health Minister Ahmed Samih Farid also tells the Associated Press that three people have died. Two young men were brought out of Tahrir Square in ambulances, one already dead and another who later died at a hospital, he says. It is not clear if they were government supporters or opposition protesters. The third fatality was a man who fell from a bridge near the square, Mr Farid says. He was wearing civilian clothes, but may have been a member of the security forces, he adds.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 05:07 PM ----------

(From watching CNN right now)

There's a lot of fires burning in the square and a few hundred supporters are still tossing molotovs in, but the anti-mubarak demonstrators have re-taken the square and are still there in the thousands. Anderson Cooper says this has to be considered a victory for the protesters.

Whoa! Cooper just had to duck down from shots being fired.

The army doesn't seem to be putting fires out anymore. It's fairly scary.

Cooper said that there is a lot of area outside of the square controlled by supporters and it is not safe for westerners, reporters, or protesters to go there.

He does say that the huge anti mubarak crowd are the ones behind the wall of shields on the right.

[visionary]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#2203: A doctor at a clinic near Tahrir Square tells the Reuters news agency that more than 1,500 people have been injured so far in Wednesday's violence - nearly three times the official figure.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/02/egypt-crisis-prepping-for-another-day-of-protests/?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

[update 11:50 p.m. Cairo, 4:50 p.m. ET] The Cairo bureau chief for Al-Arabiya tells CNN that protesters beat two Al-Arabiya reporters and harassed a third in separate incidents Wednesday. In one incident in Giza, people stole an Al-Arabiya reporter's watch and beat him - he eventually was rescued and taken to a hospital, where he was in an intensive care unit, the bureau chief said. In a second incident, in Cairo's Tahrir Square, a reporter was "beaten like hell" after he identified himself as working for Al-Arabiya, the bureau chief said.[

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#2219: The Egyptian-British novelist Ahdaf Soueif tells the BBC: "This movement is being led by groups of young people. They have no reason whatsoever to believe any promises that President Mubarak or his regime make. They've really gone far too far. There's a call for another massive protest on Friday. We'll see what happens in Tahrir Square tonight. I've left my nieces and my son and their friends in the square and they are refusing to leave. It's important to note that this is pro-democracy, open, modern, young, secular - everything that the world should be supporting."

According to CNN, the US state department believes that the Egyptian government thinks they can outlast the protesters. The State Department keeps telling them that they can't and to make changes now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#2229: Nabil Ali Mas, a doctor who has been treating some of those hurt in the violence, tells the BBC: "I saw many injured people, from 300 to 400, at least - all kinds of injuries you can find. But I didn't see any injuries from guns. What I saw was from sharp objects, and there are a lot of fractures, and some people lost their eyes."

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 05:45 PM ----------

David Gergen on CNN is saying that Obama needs to put together an international coalition to pressure Mubarak to speed up the change and to allow the demonstrators to protest without being attacked. He said Mubarak needs to be told: "to call off the thugs." He also says we should tell him and the military that they will get no aid if they continue to behave this way. Also he added that at this point, September is far too late for Mubarak to step down.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 05:48 PM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#2235: Sallie Pisch of the English-language Egyptian news website, Bikya Masr, tells the BBC: "I absolutely believe that the pro-Mubarak demonstrators are being co-ordinated. From conversations that I've had with people, and from previous experience of demonstrations in Egypt, it is very clear that the government is trying to make a statement that people must choose between security and freedom. Many of the people who started the violence were paid by the government. Several sources told me that many of those arrested today were carrying police IDs."

#2239: The BBC's Andrew North in Washington says: "I have been talking to a number of diplomats here and they are saying that all the evidence is pointing towards state-sponsorship of the violence in Cairo. There possibly was some genuine pro-Mubarak support on the streets as well, but they say they have proof that elements linked to the government were behind it. But the Western powers do not yet want to directly accuse the president and his supporters."

From what I saw a second ago on CNN, supporters are still throwing molotov ****tails from a bridge/highway at the crowd.

[FanboyOf91]

A better picture:

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/02/02/live-blog-feb-3-egypt-protests

[visionary]

I have to wonder how much the anti-mubarak demonstrators can take.

If they aren't getting sleep, food, or are forced to stay away there from home for days.

Not to mention all of the injuries and burns they have to be suffering from which they probably aren't able to get very well treated.

It looks like at least one of the fires is going out of control and a tree is engulfed in flame. WOW!

The fire has now spread to the buildings.

The buildings are really catching fire.

It doesn't seem as if anyone is trying to stop this.

The museum could be in serious danger too.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 06:21 PM ----------

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/02/egypt.pro.mubarak/index.html?hpt=T1

Who are the pro-Mubarak demonstrators?

Several CNN journalists heard from pro-Mubarak demonstrators that they worked for the government. Staff from the national petrochemical company said they had been ordered to come and protest.

Journalist and protestor Reham Saeed told CNN she saw men with police uniforms go into hotels on the way to Tahrir Square and then come out wearing civilian clothes, joining the pro-Mubarak protesters. She called that an act of "betrayal."

The remaining pro mubarak supporters are getting resupplied by cars that keep stopping on the overpass and handing out molotov ****tails to them to throw on the square.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 06:42 PM ----------

McCain wants Mubarak to step down now!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#2322: US Senator John McCain has just released this statement: "The rapidly deteriorating situation in Egypt leads me to the conclusion that President Mubarak needs to step down and relinquish power. It is clear that the only institution in Egypt that can restore order is the army, but I fear that for it to do so on behalf of a government led by or involving President Mubarak would only escalate the violence and compromise the army's legitimacy. I urge President Mubarak to transfer power to a caretaker administration that includes members of Egypt's military, government, civil society, and pro-democracy opposition, which can lead the country to free, fair, and internationally credible elections this year as part of a real transition to democracy.

#2324: Senator McCain continues: "I remain concerned about the role of the Muslim Brotherhood and other organizations in Egypt that espouse an extremist ideology. But Egypt must have a democratic future. It is the will of the Egyptian people. It is in the interest of the United States. And the greatest contribution that President Mubarak can make to the cause of democracy in his country is to remove himself from power."

CNN is reporting this as well.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 06:48 PM ----------

There's at least a couple of doctors among the protesters.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

2328: Muhamed Tamamy, an Egyptian doctor who is in Tahrir Square, tells the BBC: "The situation here in the square is better than it was this morning but there's still a big confrontation going on between the two sides. The thugs thought they'd scare us when they came into the square, but they'd made us more determined. The people in the square fought back and gained confidence as they drove them out of the square. When we catch them, they tell us they took money to come and fight. We don't know where they came from or who paid them. Anyone who says they are for Mubarak in the square now risks being severely beaten, even to death. After the speech yesterday lots of people went home, saying they would come back if Mubarak didn't do as he promised. I wanted to leave but after today, I am determined to stay.

#2334: Khaled Kamal, a doctor in Cairo, tells the BBC: "The pro-Mubarak protesters were the usual regime mercenaries that we used to see each time they want to end the peaceful protests. People are crying because they fear they have lost what we have built up over the last few days. We tried so hard to keep the protests peaceful. Now we don't know if we should continue or stop because of the potential for violence. At the same time we don't want to lose what we achieved in the last few days. If the opposition groups don't find a solution we will march again on Friday, maybe on the presidential palace. But the real question is what will happen in Tahrir Square tomorrow."

#2347: Al-Jazeera's Evan Hill tweets: "The protesters have won the space for the army to re-establish itself as some kind of buffer, but the army isn't doing anything."

[visionary]

Today 3:41 PM Pro-Mubarak Protesters: 'We Hate America'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/02/egypt-pro-government-supporters_n_817328.html#367_promubarak-protesters-we-hate-america-

Christiane Amanpour is reporting from Cairo this week, where she was accosted by an angry crowd. She writes:

An angry mob surrounded us and chased us into the car shouting that they hate America. They kicked in the car doors and broke our windshield as we drove away.

Today 6:40 PM Obama 'Very Concerned'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/02/egypt-pro-government-supporters_n_817328.html#379_obama-very-concerned-

According to Jake Tapper at ABC News, the official U.S. stance on Mubarak remaining in power has shifted rapidly. Writes Tapper:

President Obama is “very concerned” that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak may not begin the process or an orderly transfer of power as quickly as he needs to, administration officials tell ABC News.

The administration is very worried about the potential for this crisis, “to turn even uglier if Mubarak doesn’t begin the transfer of power now,” one official said.

U.S. Ambassador Margaret Scobey is leading discussions and conveying U.S. wishes for the process to begin as soon as possible. Special envoy to Egypt Frank Wisner is returning from Cairo, with an administration official saying he was no longer able to be as effective a conduit to President Mubarak after their private conversations had been made public.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

#0010: In a blog, Nadim Houry of Human Rights Watch writes: "Sources in Damascus told me that at around 8:30pm, Syrian security forces violently dispersed a candlelight vigil held for Egyptian protestors. The vigil was held in the Bab Touma neighborhood in old Damascus. The police beat those gathered and took some of them, including known activist Suheir Atassi, to the Bab Touma police station. Suheir has been released and is doing fine."

#0013: Anthony DeRosa of Reuters tweets: "Mubarak supporters have smashed the lights near the area they have quartered off and gathered rocks so they cannot be well seen.

---------- Post added February-2nd-2011 at 07:28 PM ----------

#0025: The BBC's Katty Kay notes that one important form of leverage that the US has at its disposal is the enormous amount of aid it grants to Egypt. But, she says, when you ask the White House how long it will take to review the aid budget, aides there don't know. It could take weeks, while the situation in Cairo is changing by the hour.

[GoSkins561]

The religion of peace at it again and again and again and again............

[visionary]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/02/egypt-crisis-prepping-for-another-day-of-protests/?hpt=T1

[update 2:21 a.m. Thursday in Cairo, 7:21 p.m. ET Wednesday] At least three fires are burning outside Cairo's Egyptian Museum as people supporting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak throw Molotov ****tails toward anti-Mubarak protesters, CNN's Anderson Cooper reports.

The number in the pro-Mubarak crowd has dwindled, and anti-Mubarak protesters - having slowly advanced behind tall sheets of metal - have controlled the area in front of the museum near Tahrir Square for the past few hours. Anti-Mubarak protesters have been banging on the metal into the night. Some of them are having to dodge Molotov ****tails thrown by the other side, Cooper said.

"Every time one of the Molotov ****tails thrown by the pro-Mubarak forces hits inside a crowd of people in the anti-Mubarak group, you can hear a cheer going up from the pro-Mubarak side," Cooper said.

Sustained automatic weapons fire also could be heard early Thursday around Cairo's Tahrir Square...