EGYPT: The day for Mubarak to leave.

Thousands of Egyptian protesters gather again in Cairo's Tahrir Square for a "day of departure" rally aimed at ousting President Hosni Mubarak. 

Mr Al-Aryan also described the kind of government the Muslim Brotherhood wants in Egypt. "We want a civil state, based on Islamic principles. A democratic state, with a parliamentary system, with freedom to form parties, press freedom, and an independent and fair judiciary."

 

New Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman spoke in public at length for the first time ever today, in an interview with Nile Television. That gives us more insight into his thinking than we have ever had before and the impression is hardly reassuring. Judging by what we heard, this was a replica of what the Tunisians (and the French) would call 'langue de bois' (literally, wooden tongue). 

The key message came right at the end -- to the effect that he thanks the young people of Egypt for initiating a process of reform but now it's time for them to stand down and trust the details to the professionals.