Egypt Threatens (Military) Crackdown But Protesters Stay Put

[tekisui]

Source: AFP

CAIRO (AFP) – Egypt's government warned of a military crackdown as massive rallies against President Hosni Mubarak spread and reports surfaced that the army had detained and tortured pro-democracy activists.

Hundreds of demonstrators marched on parliament from the epicentre of the uprising in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday, a day after the largest protests since the revolt began, as unrest spread across the nation.

Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit warned the army, until now a mostly neutral force, would intervene if the protests against Mubarak's 30-year-old US-backed rule escalated.

"If chaos occurs, the armed forces will intervene to control the country, a step... which would lead to a very dangerous situation," the official MENA news agency said, paraphrasing Abul Gheit's interview with Arabic-language satellite television channel Al-Arabiya.

His remarks came after newly appointed Vice President Omar Suleiman warned of a possible "coup" in the absence of a peaceful transfer of power.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110210/wl_mideast_afp/egyptpoliticsunrest_20110210033746

[sufrommich]

1. "If chaos occurs,

"If chaos occurs, the armed forces will intervene to control the country"

Sounds like the Egyptian government is readying for another bout of "chaos" using their rent-a-goons.

[MadHound]

2. Empty threat,

The army has already stated that they're not going to crack down on peaceful protesters.

[Prometheus Bound]

3. Guess it depends how you define crackdown.

Some might consider detention and torture a form of a crackdown.