Egyptian President Mubarak Falls ill

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031119/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_mubarak&cid=540&ncid=716

<snip>
CAIRO, Egypt - A nationally televised speech by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (news - web sites) to open a session of parliament was interrupted Wednesday by what an announcer said was a "health crisis."

The broadcast was briefly cut during Mubarak's speech in the parliament building in downtown Cairo. When the broadcast resumed, it showed members of parliament milling in the hall. Mubarak was no longer at the podium.

The announcer said: "The president has suffered a health crisis

[JCMach1]

1. Rutroo

This isn't a good thing...

[Muddleoftheroad]

3. You are right

Egypt is well armed and has a strong anti-Western, radical Muslim insurgency. If they come to power, the Mideast will explode.

[Resistance]

9. The Mideast

has already exploded, thanks to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and of course Israel's continuing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians

[Muddleoftheroad]

10. Not even close

The Mideast has vastly more capacity for trouble that this.

[smallprint]

2. The full headline is "Egyptian President Falls Ill, Is Fine"

As in, "He's fine. He's just fine. Nothing to see here, move along, move, along, he's fine."

As in, "We don't know what the hell happened, we hope he's not dead yet."

[leftchick]

4. The AP Edits Yet Again! New, New Headline....

and article....

Health Problem Interrupts Mubarak Speech

<snip>CAIRO, Egypt - After suffering a "health crisis" that halted a televised speech for more than 30 minutes, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (news - web sites) returned to cheers Wednesday and resumed his remarks to parliament without referring to the interruption.

After his return, he spoke for less than five minutes and then adjourned the parliament session.

[smallprint]

5. OK, he IS fine.

Kind of reminds me of last summer, when Fidel fainted during an outdoor speech in the heat. Everyone thought that it was curtains for El Jefe. But it was not so...he finished his speech too. But he doesn't do those epic 8-hour speeches anymore...

[zbdent]

6. Pretzels were seized in the surrounding area

(take it as you want it).

[Gloria]

7. Egypt is a political tinderbox...a while back

I posted an article in the WMW about the climate there.
Seems Mubarak's son is being positioned to succeed his father and this is making a lot of groups very unhappy.

Stay tuned.

[Aidoneus]

8. a brutal dictator inching towards the exit light is a bad thing?

hardly..

[Capt_Nemo]

11. Absolutely right Aidoneus!

But it seems the regime change apologists are scared shitless about
this regime change... isn't it ironic?

[Muddleoftheroad]

13. Sudden regime change

Can often be bad. I massively support democracy in all nations and hope we will start promoting democratic reforms in the Arab world. If a change happens after that, it might be less potentially chaotic.

[NNN0LHI]

12. He must have forgot to use the mice like Georgie does n/t