Egyptian Military leader Tantawi faces Mubarak's Fate - Protests continue

Some Revolutions once ignited, take on a momentum, a life of its own, and no one knows where the roller coaster on the slippery trackless path will lead to.

Protestors escalate tension and violence demanding that Tantawi whom they view as another Mubarak, will not have the patience for gradual change. It's a gamble they are willing to risk. What about the majority of the Egyptians?

Minority interests will be thrown out of the window in mob and rapid democratic changes. The Islamic Brotherhood is the front runner. Fear that attacks on Christian community which began in the last days of Mubarak's rule would worsen.

The future is bleaker than the past glories.

Quote :

Activists have also been infuriated by newspaper photos of Tantawi opening roads and other projects, images that bear a striking resemblance to events attended by Mubarak.

But what angered many Egyptians most was his testimony in the trial of Mubarak over the killing protesters early in the year. His remarks were given behind closed doors, but Tantawi later confirmed lawyers' accounts, saying Mubarak did not order the army to open fire.

'The Egyptian public was certain that Mubarak had given orders to fire at protesters,' Zayaat said. For Tantawi to give a testimony that says the opposite ultimately shakes the people's trust in him.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2065194/Tantawi-Mubarak-Protesters-target-Egypts-military-leader-chants-graffiti-things-personal-fifth-day-clashes.html#ixzz1eZLPQkhB

Turnout in Tahrir Square was less than the million people that organisers had hoped for, but it was still a massive display of popular will on a scale that was also the hallmark of the uprising in January that ousted Mubarak. Hours before the rally was due to begin makeshift hospitals around the site were struggling to cope with the injured. Medical sources said 500 people were injured in two hours alone – one every five seconds, Al-Ahram Online reported.

"The armed forces, represented by their supreme council, do not aspire to govern and put the supreme interest of the country above all considerations," Tantawi declared.

The military did not "care about who will win" and "it's up to the people to decide who will rule," he said. The army was "completely ready to hand over responsibility immediately", and to return to its original mission to protect the country if the country wanted that, via a popular referendum if need be.

"Some tried to drag us into confrontation," he said. "But we will control ourselves to the maximum. We will never kill a single Egyptian."

As his broadcast ended, chants of "go, go, the people demand the overthrow of the regime," erupted from the crowd in Tahrir Square. Tantawi, like Mubarak in February, appeared to be far behind popular demands.

Not all reaction was negative. The Muslim Brotherhood, likely to emerge as frontrunner in the parliamentary elections, and anxious they take place on schedule, appeared to indicate that it was satisfied with the amended timetable.

But there was a powerful sense that popular pressure had forced the pace.

The pace of events caught western governments on the hop, unsure whether to go beyond demands for an end to the violence, to call for the imminent elections to be postponed, or, more ambitiously, for the Scaf to surrender power.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/22/egypt-protesters-tahrir-square-tantawi

The much admired and supported "people power" and democracy turn ugly :

These are not images of peaceful demonstrations and protests.

They defy authority and challenge the police and military to take drastic actions.