Egypt's Army Takes Control in sign Mubarak is on his way out.

[Divernan]

Source: Seattle Times



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Egypt's military announced on national television it had stepped in to secure the country and promised protesters calling for President Hosni Mubarak's ouster that all their demands would soon be met. Mubarak planned a speech to the nation Thursday night, raising expectations he would step down or transfer his powers.

Protesters packed in Cairo's central Tahrir Square broke into chants of "We're almost there, we're almost there" and waved V-for-victory signs as more flowed in to join them well after nightfall, bringing their numbers well over 100,000. But euphoria that they were nearing their goal of Mubarak's fall was tempered with worries that a military takeover could scuttle wider demands for true democracy. Many vowed to continue protests.

The developments created confusion over who was calling the shots in Egypt and whether Mubarak and the military were united on the next steps.

The military's moves had some trappings of an outright takeover, perhaps to push Mubarak out for the army to run the country itself in a break with the constitution. But comments by Mubarak's aides and his meetings with the top two figures in his regime - Vice President Omar Suleiman and Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq - before his speech suggested he may try to carry out a constitutionally allowed half-measure of handing his powers to Suleiman while keeping his title as president.



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Eypt's military announced that it has stepped in to "safeguard the country" and assured protesters that President Hosni Mubarak will meet their demands. The CIA chief said there was a "strong likelihood" Mubarak will step down today.