Succession Talks as Mass Protests Continue in Egypt

Amr Moussa's Appearance at Protest Adds to Political Maneuvering

Reports continue to emerge of US officials engaged in discussions on a possible succession in Egypt, with Vice President Omar Suleiman tapped to replace Hosni Mubarak’s multi-decade rule and impose certain “reforms” on the system.

But despite hopes among protesters that the end is near for Mubarak and threats of even more violent crackdowns against them, protesters continue to mass in large numbers across Egypt, determined to see their revolution through to the end and reluctant to leave the details to the international community, which is now largely resigned to Mubarak’s ouster.

But with Mubarak’s ouster pretty much a done deal, a lot of attention is also going to who might replace him, assuming the forthcoming “interim” government allows free elections.

And while Mohamed ElBaradei positioned himself as a major player early on, Arab League chief Amr Moussa’s arrival to eager cheers from protesters suggests that he may be the front-runner. Moussa’s history as a member of the Mubarak regime, albeit a bit more plain-spoken than most, may make him more palatable for Western officials who are terrified that free elections in Egypt might lead to a less slavishly pro-US regime.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.