Mubarak supporters are attacking the anti-Mubarak

supporters in Alexandria.

On Al Jazeera now.

supposedly to break up the fighting.

Journalist says she had to duck.

of last resort. I suppose that we all expected it, but it is still definitely upsetting. Hopefully, there will be little violence.

You have lived long enough to know what I am talking about.

This is part of the dynamic at end game.

We've seen parts of it far too many times already.

but regimes always have supporters who benefit from the spoils system

The police would seem to be the most dangerous group, and they have both the capacity and organization to create widespread violence.

Marcos took seven if memory serves...

The Iranian Revolution took six.

So this taking another week or two will not surprise me

sorry to sound so clueless, but "dynamic at end game"...

What do you mean?

even if the dynamic has small variations.

1.- People start protesting peacefully, demanding small changes.

2.- Government says no

3.- People continue demands climb

4.- Some concessions are done

5.- Government promises a crack down... using the army.

Here is where things get interesting, if the army cracks down... it will be suppressed. Army has said no, we will not shoot.

6.- leader promises major changes and to leave power at some future time... and his supporters take to the streets.

7.- The demand for revolution continues...

8.- Leader leaves or dies while trying to hang on to power.

Some of these steps are changeable, at times it goes on faster, and skips a step pr two...

it seems the pro-Mubarak forces are getting the upper hand. So sad, because things will just go back to more oppression and more torture. I hope I am wrong.

More gun fire

are that the military can keep things from spinning out of control. That's an odd dynamic, in the sense that usually the military represents the brutal authority of the dictator.

He hasn't had it since at least Friday because the tanks went in to protect the people from the police.

It's probably helped to save many lives.

Earlier this week, I had noted that some media was reporting that high-level Egyptian military representatives were in meetings at the Pentagon. One DU friend linked to an article saying one general was returning quickly to Egypt. That, of course, would not change the likelihood that the milirary was informing our military that they were not going to prop up the dictator.

Someone, somewhere, made an interesting choice late last week.

If his speech had included his resignation it would have taken the fight out of his supporters.
The bloodshed will be on his hands.

individuals are probably Mubarak security forces. To me that means provacateurs trying to stir up trouble.

because they are not reacting but responding by trying to calm things down in a low key way.

Firing warning shots, trying to disperse altercations...

Looks like the regime is trying to start conflict between the protesters and the Army.

I think H2O is correct re the police as pro Mubarak forces since he did say that he had ordered the police back on the street.

They just don't take the bait.

:shrug:

hoping the people would be fooled again by Mubarak's speech and would disperse. When that was not the case they're upping the ante.

Just grasping at straws, here. I really have no expertise in the matter.

And it's not as if a gvt has never tried it before

:-(

They probably teach it in Pissy Propped Up Dictator School

driving around Tahrir Square.

reporter said he left square - military seemed to be on heightened alert - raised red flags by tanks.

about 60 ppl on motorcycles chanting pro-M slogans, honking horns

about 300 ppl.

Says there are about 300 Mubarak supporters.

If I were in my 20s, currently in Egygt, I would probably have thrown a few stone myself, just for the sake of 15 minutes of fame. Media just loves to exaggerate.

Pro- and anti-Mubarak supporters were throwing stones at each others, and two tanks tried to calm things down by separating the two groups. Interesting... but hardly serious.

that Mubarak might leave the country by Friday. :shrug:

to do that. :scared: