EGYPT: President Hosni Mubarak says chaos, fundamentalist threat would follow his departure
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said in an interview with ABC News Thursday that if he were to give in to demands for his resignation the country would descend into chaos and be at risk of Islamic radicals' seizing control.
"I am fed up. After 62 years in public service, I have had enough. I want to go," Mubarak told ABC News' Christiane Amanpour in an interview at the presidential palace in Cairo. But he said that if he were to leave now, "there would be chaos."
Thousands of protesters demanding democratic reforms and a new leadership have occupied Cairo's central Tahrir Square for 10 days, chanting for Mubarak's immediate ouster, not at the end of his term as he promised Tuesday. Mubarak told ABC that his departure would create a power vacuum, opening an opportunity for Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood to gain control and steer the Middle East powerhouse toward Islamic fundamentalism.
The embattled president said he didn't care about opponents' accusations that he has orchestrated a violent crackdown on the protests or about the United States' and other Western countries' criticism of his decision to stay in power at least until fall elections.
"I don't care what people say about me," he said in the interview. "Right now I care about my country. I care about Egypt."
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— Carol J. Williams
Photo: President Hosni Mubarak speaks to ABC News' Christiane Amanpour at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on Thursday. Credit: ABC News / Reuters.
i wonder if the billions spent on Egyptian military aids , billions given by the Us would have been better spent on the egyptian s people welfare... i m sure that if that was the case these riots and blood shed would have been avoided...If Israel and the arabs made peace and real peace .the area will be prosper, and well off
Posted by: wahibi simohamed from Morrocco | February 05, 2011 at 08:30 AM
Mubarak fears chaos in his personal finances.
His concern is staying in long enough to relocate his funds and to set in place systems and cronies who will protect his retreat.
In Haiti the US just kidnapped President Aristide and replaced him with a dictator.
The US could kidnap a dictator, Mubarak, and let the Egyptian leaders in the Square come in, democratically.
Democracy will have to happen in this area, and we will need friendly independent democracies then, too.
bobby99
Posted by: BOBBY YOUNCE | February 04, 2011 at 09:54 AM
egypt people can determine their own choice, not by the western countries
Posted by: Faddli | February 04, 2011 at 06:51 AM
By Allah, I have seen what is going on in Egypt in my dream over five years ago. According to my dream, Mubarak of Egypt would be hanged. America will go to war with Iran, and according to my dream, America will be defeated. America would be forced to abandon Israel. The worst mistake of America is their support of Zulim and their aggression against Islam and Muslims. This will be the cause for their fall. Allaho Akkbar
Ali
Posted by: Echo | February 04, 2011 at 02:07 AM
Shame upon world leaders esp. African leaders!!
They have never laid ground for peaceful transition and want to cling to power until they go to the grave, when God's mercy is given to them to stay alive for longer!
Who will teach leader to say 'enough with me!?' What if they choose this golden choice wich sets them free from guilty conscious in the remaining days of thier life.
Leaders of country while they can't lead/manage themselves, Funny!
Posted by: Sisay | February 04, 2011 at 12:31 AM
He is right, look at Iran.
Posted by: john | February 03, 2011 at 06:00 PM