Mubarak Steps Down in Historic End to 30-Year Reign

In a historic moment sure to have repercussions across the Arab world, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down from office on Friday, ending 30 years of harsh rule. Mubarak had fled Cairo for the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh earlier in the day amid overwhelming calls for his ouster. The resignation, however, throws the future of Egypt into doubt. With no apparent leader among the opposition groups that took part in the uprising, it is unclear whether the public will accept the government of Mubarak's appointed successor, Vice President Omar Suleiman. For now power rests with Suleiman and the Egyptian military. On Friday evening, a military council spokesperson declared on Egyptian state television that decisions regarding the timing of upcoming elections would be forthcoming.
News of Mubarak's resignation was greeted by a wild eruption of cheers from the thousands of protesters who had marched to government buildings and the presidential palace to make clear their dissatisfaction with the longtime president. His departure seemed to catch many by surprise. As recently as Thursday evening, the White House found itself in the awkward -- and embarrassing -- position of seeming to have faulty intelligence regarding a major foreign policy crisis. According to the Wall Street Journal, one senior official said of the situation, "This is really bad." On Thursday morning, news reports suggested that Mubarak would announce his resignation that evening. President Obama and senior members of the administration, including CIA Director Leon Panetta, issued statements that seemed to confirm their belief that the Egyptian president was finally accepting the weeks-long call for his ouster. "There is a strong likelihood that Mubarak may step down this evening," said Panetta at a House Intelligence Committee hearing that morning.
In his remarks during an event in Wisconsin that afternoon, Obama echoed the same impression that Mubarak would resign. "We are witnessing history unfold," the president said. "It's a moment of transformation that's taking place because the people of Egypt are calling for change." Yet later that evening, Mubarak did not announce his departure. Instead, he said he would "adhere to the decision of shouldering the responsibility in defending the constitution and the national interest of the people, until the transfer of power and the transfer of responsibility" in September, when elections are scheduled. Mubarak further announced that he had made changes to the constitution (allowing for free elections in the fall) and would be transferring his official presidential responsibilities -- and most of his power -- to his deputy, Omar Suleiman, though he would retain the title of president. In response, the White House issued a carefully worded statement late Thursday evening, calling for the Egyptian government to heed the call of its citizens -- and presumably, expedite Mubarak's departure from office. The picture changed once again with the news that Mubarak would indeed resign. Suleiman and the Egyptian military were presumably calibrating their own responses Friday afternoon -- and for the moment, the streets of Cairo and Alexandria were filled with the joyful whistling and cheers of a citizenry that had finally gotten what it wanted.