Mubarak Steps Down as President, Army Takes Over!
Egypt's Military Supports Mubarak!Military TAKE Over seems IMMINENT!Obama: History Unfolding in Egypt!US Official Refutes Criticism of Intelligence Community on Mideast Turmoil!Pakistan's president has sworn in members of a new, smaller Cabinet in the first phase of a government restructuring aimed at cutting costs.Notably absent from Friday's ceremony was Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. There are conflicting reports about why he was not there. The foreign minister position will be crucial in coming months as Pakistan restarts peace talks with India.Dumping QURESHI heralds new Turmoil in South Asian Geopolitics!India Airshow Showcases New Jets!
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has delegated powers to his vice president but insists he will stay in office until a September election His announcement on state television late Thursday angered anti-government demonstrators who had hoped to hear the president announce his resignation.
Egypt's military has endorsed the transfer of powers from embattled President Hosni Mubarak to Vice President Omar Suleiman and called for a return to normal life in the Egyptian capital, wracked for 18 days by anti-Mubarak demonstrations.
Former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin will be the next foreign minister of Pakistan after a drastic downsizing of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's Cabinet on Friday saw the unceremonious exit of Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday that a new Middle East is being carved out that will be free of the United States and Israel, as he backed the revolts rocking the Arab world.
Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams, Chapter 581
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Mubarak Steps Down as President, Army Takes Over!
steps in
Cairo: Faced by stiff opposition and thousands of protesters who encircled his palace, Egyptian President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak on Friday stepped down and fled Cairo, leaving the country in the hands of the army.
"The people ousted the president," chanted a crowd of tens of thousands outside his presidential palace in Cairo.
Egypt thus scripted history after 18 days of unrelenting protests calling for an end to the 30-year old iron-fisted rule of Mubarak. Vice President Omar Suleiman made a one sentence announcement to say that Mubarak, who has left Cairo with his family for the Sharm-el-Sheikh resort in the Sinai, had stepped down.
Suleiman said a Higher Military Council comprising senior officials would govern the country till elections in September and ensure smooth transition of power. Soon after the announcement, the Council stepped in and took over the governance of Egypt.
Minutes later, there was wild celebration in Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square. People cheered and there was honking as people shouted that Egypt was free. Many cried and broke down, unable to express their joy.
"Egypt is free, Egypt is free", chanted tens of thousands of jubilant protesters waving banners and placards in Tahrir Square to welcome the announcement of Mubarak finally stepping down after 30 years in power.
Reacting to the development, US Vice President Joe Biden said, "Violence is totally unacceptable." India too welcomed Mubarak's departure. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, "We welcome the decision of President Mubarak."
Mubarak had sought to cling to power, handing some of his authorities to Suleiman while keeping his title. But an explosion of protests Friday rejecting the move appeared to have pushed the military into forcing him out completely.
Hundreds of thousands marched throughout the day in cities across the country as soliders stood by, besieging his palace in Cairo and Alexandria and the state TV building. A governor of a southern province was forced to flee to safety in the face of protests there.
It was the biggest day of protests yet in the upheaval that began Jan. 25, growing from youth activists working on the Internet into a mass movement that tapped into widespread discontent with Mubarak's authoritarian lock on power, corruption, economic woes and widespread disparities between rich and poor.
"In these grave circumstances that the country is passing through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave his position as president of the republic," a grim-looking Suleiman said. "He has mandated the Armed Forces Supreme Council to run the state. God is our protector and succor."
Nobel Peace laureate Mohammed ElBaradei, whose young suporters were among the organizers of the protest movement, told The Associated Press, "This is the greatest day of my life."
"The country has been liberated after decades of repression," he said adding that he expects a "beautiful" transition of power.
Outside Mubarak's Oruba Palace in northern Cairo, women on balconies ululated with the joyous tongue-trilling used to mark weddings and births.
"Finally we are free," said Safwan Abo Stat, a 60-year-old in the crowd of protesters at the palace. "From now on anyone who is going to rule will know that these people are great."
Another, Mohammed el-Masry, weeping with joy, said he had spent the past two weeks in Tahrir before marching to the palace Friday. He was now headed back to the square to join his ecstatic colleagues. "We made it," he gasped.
The question now turned to how the military, Egypt's most powerful institution, will handle the transition in power. Earlier in the day, the Armed Forces Supreme Council -- a body of top generals -- vowed to guide the country to greater democracy.
In a statement hours before Suleiman's announcement, it said it was committed "to sponsor the legitimate demands of the people and endeavorfor their implementation within a defined timetable ... until achieving a peaceful transition all through a democratic society aspired by the people."
Abdel-Rahman Samir, one of the youth organizers of the protests, said the protest movement would now open negotiations with the military over democratic reform but vowed protests would continue to ensure change is carried out.
"We still don't have any guarantees yet -- if we end the whole situation now the it's like we haven't done anything," he said. "So we need to keep sitting in Tahrir until we get all our demands."
But, he added, "I feel fantastic. .... I feel like we have worked so hard, we planted a seed for a yera and a half and now we are now finally sowing the fruits."
Earlier, there were reports that Mubarak had fled to an `unknown destination' as protesters fanned out to the presidential palace in Cairo and other key symbols of the authoritarian regime in a new push to force the leader to step down immediately.
While Egypt's state TV reported that Mubarak will deliver a statement live from his palace, earlier Egyptian media reports suggested that Mubarak had already departed to the Sinai resort of Sharm El Sheikh onboard a military airplane and was accompanied by chief of staff of the armed forces, Lt. Gen. Sami Annan, Al Arabiya TV said.
Other local reports indicated that Mubarak has flown to an "unknown" destination. US-based Al-Hurra TV reported that Mubarak was flying toward the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was expected in Dubai in an hour.
Reports about the whereabouts of the 82-year old leader came amid growing speculation about the nature of power transition in the country. The protesters had been gathering in increasing numbers at Tahrir Square since Jan 25 to demand Mubarak's ouster.
Mubarak, who has been continuously ruling the country since 1981, had earlier said that he would be ready to leave after his term ends in September, but not now. He even warned of chaos if he left now.
The protests had turned violent last week, leaving atleast 13 people dead and over 1,000 injured.
Source: AP & India Syndicate
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Egypt's embattled President Hosni Mubarak abruptly stepped down as president, ending his 30-year-rein, and Egyptian armed forces will take over the leadership of the country, vice president Omar Suleiman announced today.
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Crowds gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square erupted into loud cheers, chanting "Egypt is free," as the historic announcement was made."My fellow citizens. In this difficult time that the country is going through, the president Mohamed Hosni Mubarak has decided to relieve himself of his position as president and the Supreme military council has taken control of the state's affairs. May God protect us," Suleiman said during his somber one-minute announcement on TV.
Mubarak left the presidential palace in Cairo earlier today as protesters kept the pressure on the government to forceMubarak out of office.
Sources tell ABC News that the 82-year-old president has gone to an estate he owns in Sharm el-Sheikh, a resort town on the Red Sea about 250 miles from the protests in Cairo. Mubarak told ABC News last week he may eventually retire to the resort town, but vowed never to leave Egypt.
A senior Egyptian official told ABC News Mubarak's departure from the palace was intended to be symbolic, as well a visual withdrawal from the political process after having handed over most of his authority to Vice President Omar Suleiman. But the move does not preclude him from returning or inhibit his ability to oversee constitutional amendments, the official said.
In a sign that the regime may be shaky, Hossam Badrawi -- who was appointed head of the ruling party just days ago -- announced that he will resign from his post. Badrawi was widely cited by news outlets on Thursday as saying that Mubarak would step down, reports that turned out be false.
The military earlier today announced on state television that the regime's much hated emergency law will be lifted when the security situation allows -- echoing Mubarak's statement from Thursday -- and encouraged protesters to leave the streets and return to their homes.
Egypt's controversial emergency laws have been in place since the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1967 and give the government far-reaching powers at the expense of judicial review and civil liberties.
The army said it would make an important announcement soon.
But demonstrators were defiant, filling Tahrir Square for an 18th day to demand Mubarak's ouster. Thousands more marched toward the state television building, a prime new target for today's protests.
"It is important for the regime, not for the people, because they have been lying and spreading propaganda," one protester told ABC News, referring to the television building. "Once this building is down, the regime is down as well."
Others converged on the presidential palace, blocking roads leading up to the president's residence. The mood was largely peaceful and celebratory, yet determined, as soldiers and protesters cheered and waved at each other. There were no signs of pro-Mubarak demonstrators in the crowd, as had been the case earlier in the day.
The side streets around Tahrir, or Liberation, Square were packed as crowds streamed toward what has become the heart of these 18-day long anti-government demonstration. Instead of the rage felt Thursday night when Mubarak went on national television and said he would not leave office, there appeared to be a new energy and determination in the crowd.
The health ministry doubled the number of ambulances parked outside the square, and there was a mobile hospital present. But soldiers seemed relaxed, smiling at the crowds, and there was a collective commitment by protesters to keep the demonstrations non-violent.
Similar scenes played out in the port cities of Alexandria and Mansoura.
Wael Ghonim, a Google executive who has become the international face of protests since he was arrested by security forces in late Jan. 28, took to Al Arabiya television to speak for the demonstrators.
Saying the army should be the caretaker of the revolution, the 30-year-old said Egyptian people want true freedom of press and the right in establishing satellite channels and newspapers. He also demanded that Egyptians living abroad be given the right to vote, and that a transparent election be held in September.
The military is seemingly maintaining a neutral position, but also asking for people to return to normal life.
Though protesters are calling for Mubarak to resign from the presidency, there is no one opposition party poised to take over the reins of the country. And while several leaders -- including Nobel Laureate Muhammed ElBaradei and politician Ayman Nour -- have emerged in the spotlight, they don't have the kind of support base that is needed to take over the leadership. The fragmented Muslim Brotherhood also seems to be missing a viable leader that could win mass support.
The military isn't confronting protesters, but its statement today showed the country's most revered institution has put its support behind Mubarak.
The turmoil in Egypt, preceded by a similar uprising in Tunisia, has rocked the Arab world. Many are concerned about the government falling into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood, an outlawed group, and the outbreak of violence.
"The role of the rest of the world is to tell them honestly but behind closed doors on secure lines, 'We are ready to be there beside you if you move concretely and coherently toward change. We respect your need to avoid it falling into the hands of extremists. We understand that you need some time," Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak told ABC News Thursday.
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http://abcnews.go.com/International/egypt-mubarak-leaves-cairo-protesters-demand-resignation/story?id=12891572
Obama: History Unfolding in Egypt!United States supports an 'orderly and genuine transition' to democracy in Egypt, says Obama!Egypt's military has endorsed the transfer of powers from embattled President Hosni Mubarak to Vice President Omar Suleiman and called for a return to normal life in the Egyptian capital, wracked for 18 days by anti-Mubarak demonstrations!Tens of thousands of protesters are in Cairo for an 18th day of demonstrations calling for the immediate resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who said Thursday he would not step down. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday that a new Middle East is being carved out that will be free of the United States and Israel, as he backed the revolts rocking the Arab world.
Former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin will be the next foreign minister of Pakistan after a drastic downsizing of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's Cabinet on Friday saw the unceremonious exit of Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The Egyptian state news agency said Friday that military leaders have held a meeting and plan to issue a statement later in the day.
Thursday, Mr. Mubarak dashed hopes and rumors of his imminent resignation when he announced in a televised speech that he will not step down but will hand day-to-day powers to Vice President Omar Suleiman.
His announcement sparked jeers and chants of "he must leave" from demonstrators packed into Cairo's Tahrir Square. Protesters waved their shoes in the air, a symbol of disrespect in the Arab world.
Protest organizers promised that Friday would see the largest gathering of demonstrators since the popular uprising began.
India Airshow Showcases New Jets!
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has delegated powers to his vice president but insists he will stay in office until a September election His announcement on state television late Thursday angered anti-government demonstrators who had hoped to hear the president announce his resignation.President Hosni Mubarak's speech was followed by loud and disappointed roars from the thousands of protesters who had massed at Cairo's Tahrir Square on Thursday. Some waved shoes as a sign of anger and disrespect.Their hopes had been raised when an army commander addressed them earlier in the day and said the 82-year-old president was going to meet their demands.
Egypt's Military Supports Mubarak!Military TAKE Over seems IMMINENT!US Official Refutes Criticism of Intelligence Community on Mideast Turmoil!On the other hand,Pakistan's president has sworn in members of a new, smaller Cabinet in the first phase of a government restructuring aimed at cutting costs.Notably absent from Friday's ceremony was Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. There are conflicting reports about why he was not there. The foreign minister position will be crucial in coming months as Pakistan restarts peace talks with India.Dumping QURESHI heralds new Turmoil in South Asian Geopolitics!President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath of office Friday to 22 ministers, including many from the previous administration. The final size of the new Cabinet is expected to be much smaller than the previous one, which had more than 50 ministers, making it one of the biggest in the world.
Director of U.S. National Intelligence James Clapper has refuted criticism that the intelligence community failed to adequately monitor or predict recent events in Egypt and the region.
Clapper told the House Intelligence Committee Thursday that intelligence officials are closely following the anti-government uprisings in the Middle East.
He also said nuclear proliferation is a major threat to the United States and its allies, citing in particular North Korea and Iran.
Clapper's testimony is part of the U.S. intelligence community's annual worldwide threat assessment.
CIA Director Leon Panetta and FBI Director Robert Mueller are also testifying.
The officials will later participate in a closed session with the committee.
Egypt's military appears to be backing President Hosni Mubarak's decision to remain in office and has called for a return to normal life in Cairo. The military also endorsed the transfer of some powers from Mr. Mubarak to Vice President Omar Suleiman.The Egyptian military's Supreme Council says it will lift the country's emergency laws if the current protests end. Those laws have been in place for 30 years, giving Egyptian security forces extraordinary powers to arrest people and hold them indefinitely.The military announced on state television it supports the "legitimate demands of the people.'' A spokesman said the council was exploring what measures could be made to "safeguard" the nation and its people.Cairo's Tahrir Square, a focal point of the protests, erupted into cheers as news spread at around dusk Thursday.
Pakistan's previous Cabinet resigned Wednesday following opposition demands that the prime minister downsize the government and enact economic reforms.Pakistan is struggling to revive its economy, which is propped up by billions of dollars in loans from the International Monetary Fund. Devastating floods last year made matters worse, causing up to $10 billion in damages.
In Cairo,Jubilant demonstrators waved banners labeling Mr. Mubarak a traitor, killer and tyrant, as patriotic songs blared from speakers.
Doctors in white lab coats and lawyers in black robes had earlier flooded into Tahrir Square, linking striking workers with anti-government protesters.
In addition to the prolonged protests by thousands in the capital, the opposition has turned to labor actions across Egypt affecting tourism, textiles, railways and the government.
Meanwhile,President Obama says the United States supports an orderly and genuine transition to democracy in Egypt. The president spoke during a brief visit to the U.S. state of Michigan where he promoted a National Wireless Initiative mentioned in his State of the Union Address.
The president's statement about fast-moving events in Egypt came at the top of his remarks at Northern Michigan University, where he traveled to promote a National Wireless Initiative.The Republican-led House has been discussing how to trim the federal budget. Last year, the government announced it spent more than $80 billion on intelligence activities, double what it spent before the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
In the Indian city of Bangalore, major aeronautical companies from around the world are displaying state-of-the art military and commercial jets.
Among the companies participating at the five-day air show in Bangalore are U.S.-based Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and Europe's Airbus.
Billions at stake
These companies are among six top competitors for an approximately $12 billion contract for 126 fighter planes. India is expected to make a decision on the sought-after deal by March next year.
Defense Minister, A.K. Antony, who opened the air show, says India will raise its defense spending over the next two decades as it upgrades its military hardware. He also called on foreign aviation companies to forge partnerships with local companies.
"We are open to joint ventures, public private partnerships, and licensed production under transfer of technology for the all-round development of aerospace industry. We have charted out a course to increase self-reliance in the defense sector by creating a strong industrial base in the country," Antony said.
Investment offer
Foreign aviation companies say they are ready to raise their level of investment and increase production in India.
India is not a just a big market for military aircraft. As passenger traffic grows by approximately 15 percent a year, domestic airlines are also expanding their fleets.
The huge potential for business has drawn 675 firms and official delegations from 45 countries to the air show. This includes a trade delegation led by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who says he wants to help American companies sell planes and other equipment to India and create jobs in the United States.
Aerospace contracts
American companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin are also hoping to benefit from the U.S. government's recent decision to remove nine Indian defense and aerospace companies from a list of restricted entities with which U.S. companies cannot do business.
Boeing says it has begun talks with the Indian Space and Research organization to collaborate on space technology. India's defense spending has grown three-fold over the past decade from $10 billion to $30 billion. The commercial aviation sector is expected to spend $130 billion over the next 20 years buying new planes.
On Wednesday, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told the House Homeland Security Committee that the terrorist threat against the United States is evolving and, in some ways, is at its most heightened state since the 2001 attacks.
She said her department is working to provide state and local law enforcement with the information and resources they need to combat the threat of violent extremism within their communities.
Egyptian state television says President Hosni Mubarak will give a speech to the nation late Thursday. Earlier in the day, Egyptian military officials and members of the ruling party said Mr. Mubarak will "meet protesters' demands."
But Egypt's state television says the country's Information Minister has denied that the president is resigning.
Egyptians have been demonstrating for 18 days, calling for the ouster of President Mubarak, who has been in power for nearly 30 years. They have been demanding he leave immediately.
The military's supreme council met Thursday without the commander in chief, Mr. Mubarak.
With television screens showing tens of thousands of people in Cairo preparing for a speech by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Obama said the world is watching history take place as the Egyptian people demand change.
"It is a moment of transformation that is taking place because the people of Egypt are calling for change," he said. "They have turned out in extraordinary numbers, representing all ages and all walks of life, but it is young people who have been at the forefront, a new generation, your generation, who want their voices to be heard."
The president said the United States wants young people in Egypt and all Egyptians to know that America will continue to do everything to support an orderly and genuine transition to democracy.
Earlier, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama and his advisers were watching developments as they occurred. Obama received a telephone briefing earlier from National Security Adviser Tom Donilon.
After his remarks about Egypt, President Obama spoke about the inter-connectedness of the world and his initiative to bring high-speed broadband access to 98 percent of Americans.
Comparing the United States to South Korea, where he said more than 90 percent of homes have high-speed broadband, the president said "the lights are still off" in one third of American households.
Obama said high-speed wireless service will spark new innovation, investments and ultimately help create jobs.
"This is not just about a faster internet or being able to friend someone on Facebook. It is about connecting every corner of America to the digital age," he said. "It is about a rural community in Iowa or Alabama where farmers can monitor weather across the state and markets across the globe. It is about an entrepreneur on Main Street with a great idea she hopes to sell to the big city," continued Obama, "it is about every young person who no longer has to leave his hometown to seek new opportunity - because it is right at his fingertips.
The president compared his National Wireless Initiative to a call by John F. Kennedy who, while campaigning for president in Michigan in 1960, spoke about the importance of America being first.
He tempered his message about the need to, in his words, "up our game" and "win the future" with another reminder of steps he has taken to cut down on unnecessary and wasteful government spending.
Obama again mentioned his call to freeze annual domestic spending over the next five years, to the lowest level as measured against Gross Domestic Product (GDP) since the Eisenhower administration. But the president said spending should not be reduced in key areas that will help create jobs and grow the economy in the long run, such as education, innovation and infrastructure improvements.
The military's announcement is a huge concession to pro-democracy protesters flooding Egypt's streets for an eight consecutive day. But it may not be enough.
The military released its statement Friday after a meeting of its Supreme Council, on a day protest organizers predicted the largest demonstrations since the start of the popular uprising last month.
The military statement said the army will ensure that reforms proposed by Mr. Mubarak are carried out as planned, including a the eventual lifting of 30-year-old emergency laws that enabled the government to keep tight control on Egyptian citizens. The statement also promised that the presidential election scheduled for September will be free and fair. The military urged protesters to return to their homes.
It is not yet clear what effect the statement will have on the tens of thousands of protesters packed into Cairo's Tahrir Square and other parts of the city. The huge crowd continued to build after Friday prayers.
Military vehicles and troops surround the square and are present in other parts of the city, braced against possible violence. Protesters have also gathered around the presidential palace in the Cairo suburb of Heliotropolis, where security is also high.
Thursday, Mr. Mubarak angered the protesters, who were expecting him to announce his resignation. Instead, he promised in a televised statement to turn day-to-day powers over to the vice president. His announcement sparked jeers and chants of "he must leave" from the protesters in the streets.
Following Mr. Mubarak's speech, one of Egypt's leading opposition figures, Nobel peace prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, warned that the country "will explode" and needs to be rescued by the military. ElBaradei said the Egyptian people are "very angry," calling Mr. Mubarak's speech an "act of deception."
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said late Thursday the United Nations stands ready to assist in a genuine and inclusive dialogue with all parties in Egypt.
U.S. President Barack Obama said the Egyptian people have been told "there was a transition of authority, but it is not yet clear this transition is immediate, meaningful or sufficient.''
Surprise decision
On Thursday, Mr. Mubarak surprised demonstrators, and observers around the world, by saying he would not step down.
Shock, dismay, and anger followed in Cairo's Tahrir Square, where thousands of protesters had gathered for Mr. Mubarak's speech. Shayma Kamel was there.
"He didn't resign. He didn't resign and the people are so disappointed and so angry," said Kamel.
She said protesters are marching Friday on Egypt's presidential palace.
"[The] reaction is really bad. All of the people are so nervous, and they all - the people - decided to go to the president's palace. They are so angry," Kamel said.
More protests planned
Demonstrators are also gathering outside the offices of Egypt's state television, the mouthpiece of Mr. Mubarak's government.
Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei warned on Twitter that Egypt will "explode."
Friday's demonstration is already one of the largest yet. Protesters are joining with millions of Egyptians flowing out of mosques after Friday prayers. In Tahrir Square, a top Muslim preacher has called on the protesters to stay steadfast in their demands. The man fainted with emotion in the middle of his sermon.
Israel Says Mubarak's Decision to Stay is Internal Egyptian Issue
Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Thursday that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's decision to remain in office is an internal Egyptian issue, which Egyptians will need to settle themselves. Barak called for renewed efforts in Israeli-Palestinian statehood negotiations, despite the turmoil in the Middle East.
Barak spoke in New York, shortly after meeting U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, shortly after Mr. Mubarak spoke on Egyptian television, saying he would not step down as protestors demand. "It is up to the Egyptian people to find a way and to do it according to their own constitution, norms and practices," he said.
The Israeli defense minister said the upheaval in the Middle East should not constrain efforts to reach a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.
"In spite of all the turbulence around us, we should look for opportunities within these difficulties rather than spiral into heavy uncertainty that paralyzes us from acting toward a better and more stable future," he said.
Earlier this week, Barak met with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, to discuss the protests in Egypt and the turmoil in Tunisia, and how they are affecting the international situation in the Mideast.
Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, followed by Jordan in 1994.
Israeli analysts say they worry that with Islamist groups in power in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, and the possibility for similar groups coming to power Egypt might threaten regional stability.
Pakistan Rejects US Diplomat's Self-Defense Claim
Pakistani police have rejected a detained U.S. diplomat's claim that he acted in self-defense when he shot dead two men last month in the eastern city of Lahore. Police are recommending the diplomat face murder charges.
Lahore Police Chief Aslam Tareen said Friday an investigation revealed Raymond Davis committed what the chief called "cold-blooded murder."
"The eyewitnesses [statements] and forensic reports showed that it has not been the self-defense case. So has tried to fire on them [and] 10 bullets were fired. Therefore, his self-defense plea was considered and that has been rejected by the investigators," Tareen said.
Washington's stance
Speaking to VOA on the latest developments in the case, U.S Embassy spokesperson Courtney Beale reiterated Washington's stance on the issue.
"We regret that this incident resulted in the loss of life. However, eyewitness accounts report [on the day of the incident] that the American acted in self-defense," Beale said. "There is no doubt that he has diplomatic immunity and we are working with the government of Pakistan to resolve this issue."
The United States insists its diplomat killed the Pakistanis because they were trying to rob him at gunpoint. The American has been in police custody since the shooting incident took place on January 27.
Tension increases
Davis's detention has strained relations between Washington and Islamabad. Washington is demanding the American be freed immediately, saying his continued detention is illegal under international agreements covering diplomats.
Pakistani leaders maintain it is for the country's courts to determine the fate of the American. They have avoided clear statements on whether he is a diplomat.
On Friday, a Lahore court ruled that Davis will remain in custody for an additional 14 days for further questioning and ordered the government to determine whether he has diplomatic immunity or not.
Members of a U.S. congressional delegation said earlier this week they told Pakistani leaders on a recent visit that the detention of the diplomat could affect U.S assistance to Pakistan.
A U.S. embassy spokesperson, however, denied reports the Obama administration threatened to expel Pakistan's Washington envoy, Hussain Haqqani, scale down diplomatic missions in Pakistan and cancel an upcoming U.S visit by President Asif Ali Zardari, if the diplomat is not freed.
Ahmadinejad says Egypt, Tunisia were inspired by Iran's anti-Western protests
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By Thomas Erdbrink
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 11, 2011; 10:32 AM
TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday urged Egyptians to continue their protests, to "free" themselves and choose their own leaders and their own form of government, a day after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak again refused to step down.
Speaking during a massive rally to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic revolution, Ahmadinejad said that the uprisings in the Arab world are inspired byIran's struggle against Western powers.
The protests, he said, herald the emergence of a new Middle East where, despite "satanic" Western designs, the United States and Israel would not be able to interfere. "Gather up Israel in the same way as you imposed it on the region," Ahmadinejad advised the United States and Europe.
Government representatives and soldiers handed out Egyptian flags to teenage schoolgirls who sang Iran's praise, calling it the "cradle of Islamic belief and love." Honoring Iran's resistance against world powers, one demonstrator held up a placard with a portrait of the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the words "We will stand till the end."
The crisis that is roiling a regional ally of the United States dominated the celebration. Ahmadinejad said that a revered 9th-century Shiite saint, the 12th imam Mahdi, is managing the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
"This is a global revolution, managed by the imam of the ages" Ahmadinejad, who is very religious, told large crowds gathered on and around Tehran's central Azadi square.
He predicted the formation of a world government, ruled by Imam Mahdi. "Hearts and beliefs are swiftly leaning towards forming a global governance and the necessity of the rule of the 'Perfect Human' linked to the heavens."
Opponents of the Iranian president have accused him of flirting too much with a deeply rooted belief that Mahdi, the final successor of the prophet Muhammad, will return to Earth to create a holy global government.
Friday's state-backed rally comes as two opposition leaders, former presidential challengers Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, have asked for permission to stage a protest on Monday in solidarity with the people of Egypt and Tunisia.
Although Iran saw months of unrest after Ahmadinejad claimed victory in a disputed election in June 2009, recent months have been quiet.
Government officials say they suspect that activists want to use the rally to protest domestic issues. It is highly improbable that Iran will grant permission for the event, but opposition Web sites said that there still might be protests.
On Thursday the government arrested seven opposition activists. Karroubi, a former head of parliament who has criticized Iranian leaders, was placed under house arrest, the Sahamnews Web site reported.
During the anniversary celebration, Ahmadinejad attacked critics of his domestic policies, some of whom held key government positions for decades.
"Some people consider themselves as the owners of the Iranian nation and revolution," Ahmadinejad said, clearly referring to a growing group of older politicians dissatisfied with his government. He cited younger generations as "wiser and more revolutionary."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/11/AR2011021102634.html
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