Thousands March in Egyptian Capital Calling for President’s Ouster

[David Guyatt]

Translation of above caption:

Egypt crisis: US "We're shitting ourselves - we need to get rid of this guy pronto (before other states in the mid-east copy them) and get a 'safe pair of hands' in situ immediately."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...ategy.html

Egypt crisis: US 'negotiates Mubarak exit strategy'

The US is negotiating with Egyptian officials for Hosni Mubarak, the president, to resign now and hand power to an interim government, according to reports.

By Philip Sherwell, New York 8:27AM GMT 04 Feb 2011
The proposal from the Obama administration would see the new government led by Mr Mubarak's newly-appointed deputy Omar Suleiman and would be backed by the Egyptian military, the New York Times has claimed.
Under the plans, the interim government reportedly would be encouraged to invite opposition leaders from a raft of groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, to enter talks about reforming Egypt's electoral system ahead of presidential elections in September.
The disclosure of the plan, one of several options under discussion between Washington and high-level Egyptian officials, is clearly intended to increase the pressure on Mr Mubarak to step aside. It is also unclear whether Mr Suleiman or the Egyptian military would abandon the country's president.
After struggling initially to keep pace with developments on the ground in Egypt, the administration of President Barack Obama is now firming up a "Mubarak-must-go-now posture" in private conversations with Egyptian officials, according to US media reports.
But for all parties, events in Cairo on Friday, when anti-Mubarak demonstrators have called for a "day of departure" march on the presidential palace, are likely to prove crucial.