Breaking Tanks, Gun FIre In Tahrir Square

[kpete]

Source: MSNBC

just now

Mubarak backers open fire at protesters: witness
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/03/us-egypt-idUSTRE70O3UW20110203?WT.tsrc=Social%20Media&WT.z_smid=twtr-reuters_%20com&WT.z_smid_dest=Twitter

Pro-gov’t supporters open fire on Egypt protesters, two dead
http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/?p=25392



No link yet.

[elleng]

1. 2 threads here, one Rachel/Richard Engel live, +, covering.

Tanks = smoke screens.

[Tx4obama]

3. MSNBC: Reporters in Cairo Tahrir Square can now smell tear gas. n/t

[jannyk]

2. Discussion here:-

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x335246

[elleng]

5. Thanks, jan. Great coverage, here and there.

[Hissyspit]

4. Link Here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/03/us-egypt-idUSTRE70O3UW20110203?WT.tsrc=Social%20Media&WT.z_smid=twtr-reuters_%20com&WT.z_smid_dest=Twitter

Mubarak backers open fire at protesters: witness

By Samia Nakhoul and Marwa Awad
CAIRO | Wed Feb 2, 2011 9:42pm EST
(Reuters) - Supporters of President Hosni Mubarak opened fire on Thursday on protesters demanding he quit, wounding seven, a witness said, after what many saw as an attempted government-backed crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations.

Al Arabiya television quoted a doctor at the scene as saying one protester was killed as fresh fighting erupted in Cairo's Tahrir Square during the night. Two more protesters were injured by stones, the witness said.

Mubarak promised on Tuesday to surrender power in September to try to defuse an unprecedented challenge to his 30-year-rule, angering protesters who want him to quit immediately and prompting the United States to say change "must begin now."

A day later, the army told reformists to go home and Mubarak backers, throwing petrol bombs, wielding sticks and charging on camels and horses, attacked protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

MORE

[Prometheus Bound]

6. Fuck the Egyptian military.

That is all.

[uppityperson]

16. For what? Not firing on protestors? For stopping looting? Why fuck them?

Fuck the military for putting out smoke so the Mubarak thugs can't shoot them? I think you are saying "fuck them" to the wrong people

[Prometheus Bound]

19. I can't believe people fall for this.

The military is Mubarak. Mubarak is the military. They let the armed thugs attack the unarmed demonstrators. They could easily have stopped them.

[uppityperson]

20. And those who weren't attacking, who were making sure violence didn't happen?

Yes, there are thugs in the military who are Mubaraks thugs. And they should rightfully be condemned. However, condemning a whole group on the actions of a small subsection? Sounds familiar.

[rasputin1952]

7. At this point, they Muabak supporters have been driven back...

differing reports on casualties, at least 4 dead, between 350-750 wounded/injured.

Firing appears to be by Egyptian Army to keep the factions apart; not firing into the crowds. Tanks moving into the Square. Daylight should be come soon, and more can be known then.

Murabak supporters are outnumbers some 120-1, but they are going out of their way to create casualties. Protestors are hopefully going to remain somewhat calm, it appears they have driven the Murabak people away, at least for now. They are fighting and chasing down the last of the Murabak supporters. Beatings reported of journalists and others by Murabak supporters.

The anti-Murak forces appears to have the upper hand, and this may escalate beyond just small arms consisting of clubs, machetes and molotov cocktails.

I'd have to say this is moving into a full blown revolution if the Murbarak forces return during the day. Lots of automatic fire as warning shots.

MSNBC is doing a good job staying with this...the protesters caught a Murabak supporter on camera that was running away, they cut away, it wasn't going to be pretty.

[defendandprotect]

8. It's Ed Show now -- unfortunately with Brian Williams -- and an NBC lawyer ... but Ed's there...

Can only hope another million or so Egyptian protesters are on their way to help.

Americans who want to leave were told to report to airport immediately --

Am sure Mubarak and Suleiman will do their worst here --

if their fake thugs can't win it for them -- heaven knows what will come next!!

"Tanks roll thru Cairo Amid Protests" --

[justiceischeap]

9. No NBC lawyer for me, Richard Engel on my TV n/t

[defendandprotect]

12. Thanks --

thought someone mentioned an NBC lawyer -- ???!!!

I'm also connected to AJ-English and they were simply repeating programming

from earlier today -- and just happened to try to catch the last of Rachel

when I noticed this going on. AJ has cameras in the Square since yesterday,

but they're not as far as I can see reporting on this?

[RandomThoughts]

10. Protesters have retaken the bridge used to fire on protesters

According to Al Jazeera

Protesters have barricades up around the center.

Elf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVOGtyIg-8s

[defendandprotect]

13. We're back to the original Rachel program now -- if anyone wants to

see how this all began -- molotov cocktails being thrown on protesters --

[Curtis]

11. whoops

Swiped unrec on accident with my Droid.

Watching this unfold for the last hour and a half. AMAZING that Faux is replaying earlier shows (interview with McCain) and not reporting what's going on right now.

[Aristus]

14. I suppose this is inspecting a twig while ignoring the forest, but

does it say what kind of tanks?

As an ex-tanker, I'm interested. Since the end of the Yom Kippur War, Egypt has ditched its old Soviet-made tanks, and fielded American tanks, mostly. I heard they had some new M1's, my old vehicle.

Between the war in Iraq, and the situation in Egypt, the M1 could be getting the same image of oppressing the masses as those old Russian tanks had.

[Adsos Letter]

17. I've seen M1's and M60's; not sure what variant. Quite a few M113 APC's, too.

[jtuck004]

15. So someone who may not have thought of him/her self as political

might have been sitting in a room, hears some yelling. Soon (relatively) the block looks like those on tv.

I can watch what happens if he doesn't quit, but what will happen if\when Mubarak quits?

Makes me wonder what this would look like in Detroit, Chicago, or ...? Would the police (or government agents who can pass through whatever Army lines seem to exist) still be sent, only mostly in uniform at first? Then tanks?
(How's your water supply in a time of need?)

That Army doesn't seem to be willing to start a fight with the "police", but they might finish one.

Cairo
Population (2006)
- City 6,758,581
- Density 17,190/km2 (44,521.9/sq mi)

Detroit
Population (2009)
- City 910,920
- Density 6,370.1/sq mi (2,459.5/km2)

New York
Population (January 1, 2010)
- City 8,453,558
- Density 27,532/sq mi (10,630/km2)

San Francisco
Population (2008)<9><10><11> CSA: 7,427,757
- City-county 815,358
- Density 17,323/sq mi (6,688.4/km2)

Thank you Wikipedia

[Alamuti Lotus]

18. Tahrir Square chants today: "People want to execute the butcher"

Mubarak has chosen to end his life by having his thugs fire on this crowd.

[Uncle Joe]

21. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.