El Baradei speaks: "We are talking about taking down the Pharaonic dictatorship."

[Dennis Donovan]

From http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2011/01/29/live-blog-291-egypt-protests

7:42pm Key opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei says in speech: "We are seeking a change of regime. President Mubarak should step down. We should head towards a democratic state through a new government and free democratic elections...The whole world should realize that the Egyptians are not going home until their demands are realized...We are talking about taking down the Pharaonic dictatorship."

[EFerrari]

1. He's an amazing man. Very modest.

I hope he has good security because there's a big fat target on his back.

[myrna minx]

2. No kidding. I don't even know how to process this all.

[EFerrari]

6. I feel as though there is a lot of danger right now.

When I saw a reporter I like tweeting his approximate location, it was all I could do not to admonish him for being careless even though, I'm not sure what my fear is.

The people, who some are calling "the mob", have been very well behaved, even generous, in this situation. The police are brutes. It's up to the army to secure the nation and I imagine the top officers are being pulled in five directions right now.

[Raschel]

11. I think the fear would be that crowds can turn quickly, or that there is always a few in an excited

crowd like this who can do unpredictable things.

There are Egyptians who are looting right now and destroying businesses. They do not share the goal of the majority.

[EFerrari]

12. With more than half the population in such poverty

some looting is not surprising.

Yesterday I saw a man in worn work clothes yelling at a reporter, I have no work, I have no food, how will my family live, we need to live. And he turned and kept moving with the crowd. He wasn't young.

[myrna minx]

13. My fear is the potential power vacuum - and who will be the one/group to

seize power. I can hope that El Baradei has a possibility to lead the nation in a positive direction, but I fear that that is not the direction this is heading. :-( I'll just be here holding my breath.

[EFerrari]

14. It's up to the army, as far as I can tell.

I know zip about the military leadership in Egypt. But, they either play ball with the Americans or they decide they won't. Someone has to make a decision pretty soon.

[Raschel]

15. I am 100% certain that the people will not stop until Mubarak steps down.

The revolution will continue and violence will increase if he does not leave. If he uses the army against the people the people the anger will only increase, and I'm not sure how the world will react to a use of force.

I wouldn't want President Obama's job right now (or any other time). He is in a very precarious position. I'm glad he has the intelligence to consider the ramifications of his words and actions.

[Dennis Donovan]

3. My heart sank when I heard he was under house arrest yesterday...

x(

[EFerrari]

5. I know. Apparently, they didn't dare kill him then.

But, the more time opponents of Egyptian democracy have, the greater the danger to him.

[Dennis Donovan]

7. If they dared harm a hair on his head...

...the Egyptian people would CRUSH Mubarak... literally!

[somone]

4. Yep, Pharaonic is the word

[Turborama]

8. K&R Historic stuff. BTW AJ English are reporting on prison riots. n/t

[cali]

9. there seems to be little popular support for elbaradei. too bad.

[ananda]

10. That is too bad. El Baradei is decent. Besides...

... looting and vandalism is getting bad and widespread now.

Something good needs to happen ASAP.