The Tyrant's Strategy

The Tyrant's Strategy

Not much new today in Mr. Mubarek's speech. He is an arrogant tyrant. 'You need me!' He appears to be daring his people - staring them down. He may have just signed his own exit papers along the same lines of Mussolini. It appears increasingly clear to me that Hosni Mubarek's strategy is to starve the citadel of his people of food, gas and money. This is accomplished by creating shortages of food and gas - Egypt is a command economy in many ways, and by cutting off access to cash machines connected to the internet. The police have abdicated. Prison doors have been opened. Police weapons are now in the hands of criminal and jack-booted police. Mr. Mubarek's strategy hinges on creating a crisis situation in the hope/expectation that the populace will eventually riot, the freedom movement will crumble and turn on itself, and therefore the military and Hosni Mubarek will be in a position to 'save' the nation by sending in a hard-line military response.