Mubarak: I’ll Leave in Sept; Egyptians: No, Get Out Now

Western Analysts Impressed by Mubarak's Offer - Protesters Not So Much

In a high profile public address, Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak made an offer that no Western analyst that had grudgingly come to grips with the notion of a free Egypt could refuse – he promised to step down in September.

But as those analysts praised it as an historic moment and President Obama telephoned Mubarak to let him know that the US now supports the notion of him stepping down, in September, someone else was listening, someone lost in all the speculation, in fact millions of someones, on the streets of every major Egyptian city.

They were far less impressed with the notion that their long-standing torturer-in-chief would have another seven months in office, seven months to kill and persecute his way into comfortable retirement.

Rather the protests continued as eagerly as ever, with protesters continuing to insist that Mubarak must step down now, not in September, but today. With their numbers estimated well into the millions, it seems the protesters will inevitably get their way.

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.