Gamal Mubarak is in Egypt!

[suffragette]

Saw just now at end of Amanpour's article on her interview with Mubarak.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/egypt-abc-news-christiane-amanpour-exclusive-interview-president/story?id=12833673&page=2

For now, Mubarak remains in the presidential palace with his family, heavily guarded by armed troops, tanks and barbed wire. We were joined by his son Gamal, who was once widely considered to be his successor. Mubarak told me it was never his intention to have his son follow him into office.

~~~

Gamal, his son, was sitting in the room with us as he said this.

[ananda]

1. Geez!

I thought Gamal was in London.

It's true that Mubarak resisted Gamal's succession for awhile, but it's been
reported that Mubarak's wife pushed for it and that Gamal was the intended
successor.

[suffragette]

4. I thought so, too.

And yeah, I don't buy what Mubarak is saying for a minute. He and his buddies wanted his son to continue their reign.

I did notice a related item on Guardian's blog yesterday and posted on it in Sabrina's thread here. Now it adds up:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x332820#337235

[geek tragedy]

2. I like Letterman's comment about Hosni's idiot son

Gamal W. Mubarak.

[EFerrari]

3. LOL!

:rofl:

[myrna minx]

5. Oh my god.

:rofl:

[suffragette]

6. .

:rofl:

[Cleita]

8. Wasn't that classic?

:thumbsup: for David.

[davidinalameda]

9. *snort*

:rofl:

[Turborama]

16. !

:rofl:

[Cleita]

7. Could they be any more transparent?

They really think they can get away with hanging on to power. I predict there will be a hanging from a lamp post and maybe two if they don't get out of the country. The mood of the crowd is that desperate and that ugly.

[EFerrari]

10. They could be hurt by the same thugs they let loose on the people

-- they are for sale to the best bidder.

Stupid.

[suffragette]

11. Exactly

And now it adds up why William Hague was talking to Gamal as noted in a BBC radio interview and posted on Guardian's blog.
See my link above.

[gateley]

12. I was surprised, too -- and that they're both at the Palace! That was a shocker! nt

[suffragette]

13. And that they're letting it be publicly known

I had seen something in yesterday's Guardian blog and posted it in Sabrina's thread, but that wasn't as clear, though it was and is interesting that William Hague was talking to Gamal about the issues.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x332820#337235

If you go to look at that, be sure to look at the posts directly above.

[gateley]

15. GO TO THIS LINK, DUers -- EXCELLENT OP and I'm heading to the Guarding link

now, sufragette -- thank you! :hi:

[suffragette]

18. You're welcome!

And thanks, as always, to Sabrina for her great threads.

[gateley]

22. I saw that -- thanks. And the posts as well. Excellent reporting, you guys!

:headbang:

[northoftheborder]

14. Someone posted that his family left last week with 98 suitcases for London.

[suffragette]

17. Disinfo, maybe?

[gateley]

19. They had camera crews outside his house in London and I saw a report that

a car left the house, slowed down and the occupants looked at the reporters, then drove on. The reporter said they did not positively confirm it was Gamal, but it "looked like it could be him".

So I of course thought It's Him! So much conflicting info which is to be expected, I guess.

[sabrina 1]

27. Maybe some of them left, like HIS wife and kids?

I'm sure they're making plans. But they are Egyptians and may decide they do not want to live in exile, never able to return to their country. Otoh, some of them could be arrested and tried for crimes against the country.

[TBF]

20. Shocking, shocking, shocking ... um, not really. "W" Gamal indeed. nt

[suffragette]

23. The question it raises for me is why are they making it known now?

[TBF]

25. Well Mr. Mubarak has stated to the US news that he is "fed up" and wants to leave.

Guess who is waiting to take over ...

[suffragette]

26. No doubt he wants to pass power on to his son as a dynasty

The question again though is what has emboldened them to reveal that Gamal is in Cairo when they have gone to such lengths to give the impression he was elsewhere for awhile now.

And from my link upthread, why is the British Foreign Secretary talking to Gamal about all this, when ostensibly Gamal has left his office and supposedly isn't running.

[sabrina 1]

28. You always ask the best questions, suffragette.

Yes, why reveal it now? And why would the British Foreign Sec. be talking to Jamal? I hope they are not delusional enough to think he could play any role in the future of Egypt. Otoh, they have a lot of information and are probably valuable to the war machine as far as their strategies go.

[suffragette]

29. And you always raise important and substantive points

Being "valuable to the war machine" is one of those.

Hmm, that gets me thinking. Mubarak knows who requested what and when for rendition since he carried much of it out. It's likely Gamal also has this info. I had not thought of that angle.

[sabrina 1]

32. 'Mubarak knows who requested what and when for renditions since

he carried much of it out'.

Mmm, very interesting point. It's very possible that he threatened to reveal that kind of information if they did not support him. And if he did, that would have been foolish. Most likely scared them leaving them with no option but to discredit him and his whole regime. As they did when they had no more use for Saddam, or Noriega.

We are good at that, and he is helping by allowing the violence to continue. I can't understand him doing that if he wants to maintain his image. All he's doing is playing into the hands of anyone who wants to discredit him. Who's going to listen to a guy who murders his own people?

If he had allowed the protests to continue peacefully he might have gained some sympathy and it would have been easier for his allies in the west to continue to support him as they were doing initially. But, he made that impossible once the violence began.

I have noticed a big change in the coverage of the U.S. MSM also. While in the beginning they did not acknowledge who was responsible for the violence, now they are leaving no doubt. I think the situation was re-assessed and it was decided that he could be a threat to the War Machine. I hope one day Wikileaks gets their hands on some of the records on what has been going on behind the scenes.

[riderinthestorm]

30. IMHO, because they don't see any threat to the protests. May I add a dammit to that?

The only way these guys are still in Egypt, for what it's worth, is because they don't feel greatly threatened. Which means international players behind the scenes are assuring them they will be protected.

That's my take, for what it's worth.

[suffragette]

31. I'll echo your dammit

and think you make a great point.

This got me to thinking.
Mubarak and his cronies clearly decided a major talking point would be to blame everything that's going on on "foreigners" and foreign influence. That started getting major play yesterday from all pro gov't people, sometimes blatantly from the thugs/police yelling "foreigners' as they beat reporters to cronies like Kamel when he said the protesters aren't Egypt. Yet what you say about "international players" is quite possible.

Reminds me of Rove, accusing others of actions they are considering or committing themselves.

[Turborama]

21. She's talking about it now on the BBC. Link to live stream --->

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

[suffragette]

24. Darn. I can't listen now.

Please post highlights, if you can.