Is the Egyptian army just buying time for the regime?

[Bragi]

From "Five Things You Need to Know about the Egyptian Armed Forces" (from Stevan Cook's blog)

1. The senior officers are the direct descendants of Gamal Abdel Nasser and the Free Officers who built the Egyptian regime...

2. It is a tremendous relief that the military has declared that it will not fire on protestors, but also not unexpected... the declaration about restraint also has to do with internal military dynamics. There is a split in the armed forces between the senior command on the one hand and junior officers and recruits on the other who would refuse to fire on protestors. This has long been the Achilles heel of the Egyptian military...

3. What is the strategy? To contain and control the protests for as long as possible and play for time. From the perspective of Mubarak, Vice President Omar Soleiman, the chief-of-staff General Sami Annan and the others now clinging to power every day provides an opportunity to try to weaken the opposition and peel the less committed from the demonstrations. Is it any wonder that Soleiman started talking about constitutional change today? The senior command believes they can save the regime. Delusional? Perhaps, but not surprising given their deep links to the regime...

http://blogs.cfr.org/cook/2011/01/31/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-egyptian-armed-forces/

This is what keeps me from being as optimistic as I would like to be about the prospect for this popular uprising resulting in a democratic revolution.

If the people heading up the armed forces really wanted Mubarak gone, he would not still be in Egypt, would he?

- B

[dipsydoodle]

1. No.

.

[Bragi]

3. Why do think that to be the case?

If the armed forces aren't just buying time for the regime, then why is Mubarak still in Egypt? Why would they wait to help him get to a fueled up plane at the airport?

(Note: Those are questions, not a hidden agenda.)

[Catherina]

2. I sincerely hope not but I'll sleep with one eye open n/t

[Bragi]

4. Me too. I agree entirely /nt

[elehhhhna]

5. lol they'd have to STOP time in order to reverse this. It's called MOMENTUM.

[Bragi]

6. Hope so

A week ago no-one outside Egypt gave a damn about what happened there. I fear that if the regime is still intact a week from now, and Mubarak still hasn't been shipped out of the country by the armed forces, then CNN and the world media will return to reporting how Charlie Sheen is doing with his rehab. If the repressive regime survives the week (with or without Mubarak) then I'm not sure what happens in the long run.

[blindpig]

7. Mebbe, but surely for themselves.

If the army mutinies they are out of a job and on the lam. They are gonna ride the tiger with a finger in the air.

[Bragi]

9. Good thought. Hope that's so. /nt

[NoPasaran]

8. Rather than becoming weaker, the opposition seems to be strengthening over time

The various opposition groups seem to be talking behind the scenes, making agreements with the prospect of forming a national unity government to take the country to elections. And the size of the rallies in the streets, not only in Cairo but in other cities as well, continues to grow.