Egypt Army Backs Mubarak

Military backs Mubarak plan; Obama says it's not good enough
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 11, 2011 4:20 AM CST
Updated Feb 11, 2011 7:56 AM CST
Protesters March to Mubarak's Palace
Egyptian anti-goverment demonstrators pray and read newspapers in front of military vehicles in Cairo's landmark Tahrir Square in the early hours of February 11, 2011.   (Getty Images)

Egypt's powerful military says it is supporting Mubarak's plan to hand over most of his powers to vice president Omar Suleiman instead of resigning, striking a heavy blow to protesters who called on the military to take action to push Mubarak out after yesterday's announcement. The news enraged hundreds of thousands of protesters, who deluged squares in at least three major cities today and marched on presidential palaces. More than 10,000 tore apart military barricades in front of the State Television and Radio building, a pro-Mubarak bastion that has aired constant commentary supporting him and dismissing the protests. They blocked employees from entering, vowing to silence the broadcast, the AP reports.

The military did, however, promise to lift Egypt's emergency law once protests died down, the New York Times reports. Protesters—and President Obama—say the plan doesn't go far enough. The country's leadership "must put forward a credible, concrete and unequivocal path toward genuine democracy," Obama said. Meanwhile, the AFP is reporting that Mubarak and his family have left Cairo, destination unknown.
(More Egypt stories.)

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