Why are there fighter jets flying over Tahrir Square?

[justiceischeap]

This does not bode well for the demonstrators IMO. You only pull out the jets, the modern tanks and shut down live video coverage if you're planning on bloodshed.

[KG]

1. bloodshed won't save mobarak.

[hobbit709]

2. More a case of intimidation.

If they actually bombed the protesters, it would become a full scale revolution.

[justiceischeap]

5. There have been twitter reports from demonstrators that soldiers have said

They are to use force to disperse the crowd when curfew starts. Planes have guns on them too...

[FLPanhandle]

11. I think so too.

It's too late to actually use force now.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. shut down live coverage???

I just got up, what's happening over?



.

[justiceischeap]

4. Mubarak pulled AJ Arabic off the air, revoked their license

And are now using AJA to broadcast a call to watch Egypt State TV for "real" reports of what's going on.

Curfew ends any moment now and reports are that the Army is to use force if demonstrators don't go home.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Start a thread, pls, justice.

Link here to it, if you would, i gotta get some coffee and then will be back on online.
This does not look good at all, and curfew is approaching?

[HereSince1628]

7. A show of force isn't the same as use of force...

just sayin' fear is a dictator's most useful tool.

[justiceischeap]

9. And when the show of force doesn't work, what does a dictator have left?

Look what happened in China, Tiananmen Square? I could be wrong but people who are actually Tweeting from Tahrir Square say that soldiers are telling them they are supposed use force to enforce the curfew.

[hobbit709]

13. But will the troops obey orders or join the revolution?

That is always the question.

"Louis watch the prisons, send the goons around
Is that Paris burning, is the Bastille falling down?
And where are all the mercenaries - paid for by the king?
Have they joined the mob you say, doesn't money mean anything?'

[pampango]

19. One thing our vast aid to the Egyptian military gives us is leverage with them

that we didn't have in Iran or Tunisia (as far as I know).

If Obama tells the Egyptian generals that continued aid is dependent on not firing on civilians when Mubarak tells them to, they are not going to be too happy with Mubarak telling them to cut off the largesse from the US in order to keep him in power for a few more days. Since the military seems to have more credibility with the people than Mubarak and his security forces do, they may prefer to see him go and use their stature to protect their interests under a new government.

[HereSince1628]

18. There is no point in the government using weapons that destroy property

Egypt's rich elite won't stand for that...more likely, the Army will use various anti-personnel weapons, and when water cannon, sound weapons, and chemicals don't work, they'll turn to machine guns.

But the machine guns each have a trigger that must be pulled by an Egyptian to kill other Egyptians. That's the test that failed in China, and over much of eastern Europe.

As Egypts army is mostly draftees, the Army is closely and emotionally connected to the people. They will face the test.

[cbdo2007]

8. Can someone tell me how long until curfew starts?? I'm unclear....

[justiceischeap]

10. It's started already, I believe. 4pm Egypt time. nt

[malaise]

12. They are about to crack down

but they will make it worse.

[FLPanhandle]

14. If they crack down, it will erupt completely

They'd be fools to start a Tiananmen square massacre. I don't think the Egyptians will be as passive as the Chinese were afterwards.

[justiceischeap]

15. Video of Jets flying over

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnYYUhc4IMQ

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. Egypt Thread #3 (1-30-11)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x307160

[fromthailand]

17. this not going to be that easy

they might gonna drop some tear gas from the airplane first

so better prepare many lamp balloons
also a lot of used tires, just in case

let us know if you need help
we got experiences