Egyptian Cabinet Resigns; Mubarak Appoints New Prime Minister

[cal04]

Egypt's prime minister and entire cabinet resigned Friday as President Hosni Mubarak launched an expected major reshuffle of his government.

State-run television broke into its regular programming to report that Mubarak named Ahmed Nazief, the 52-year-old former state minister for communications and information, to replace Egypt's prime minister of the past four years, Atef Obeid.

The resignations of Obeid and 32 ministers were announced after an emergency cabinet meeting late Friday, marking the first cabinet reshuffle since July 2002.

The cabinet's resignation, which had been expected for some time, came amid growing calls for Mubarak, Egypt's major powerbroker, to undertake major reforms of the Arab country's political, economic and social landscape.

A defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mubarak was expected to replace most of his longtime cabinet ministers and closest aides with new faces.

Speculation of a change of Egypt's old guard was fueled when Mubarak earlier this month removed one of his closest aides, Information Minister Safwat el-Sherif, from a post he held for 22 years.


http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB5EDXNGWD.html

[daleo]

1. Were they pushed or did they jump?

This seems like it might be important, but I don't really know enough to put it into context. Given the instability in the middle east, you have to think that events in Egypt can't be ignored.

I seem to recall a PNAC inspired talk given at the pentagon to the effect:

Iraq is the tactical pivot
Saudi Arabia the strategic pivot
Egypt the prize

http://slate.msn.com/?id=2069119