Mubarak's vice president decries Friday demonstration

Ahram Online, Sarah Raslan, Thursday 17 Nov 2011

In a rare appearance, former vice president Omar Suleiman speaks out against Friday's planned mass demonstrations against military rule

Suleiman
Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman (Photo: Reuters)

Omar Suleiman, the former vice president of the toppled Mubarak regime, who has close to disappeared since the 18-day January 25 Revolution, chose to make his first direct comments about the mass demonstrations planned in the iconic Tahrir Square Friday, 18 November. 

"The army is the only guardian of Egypt at this difficult time," Suleiman said. "Even if we disagree with some of their actions, it can be resolved through discussions and not through pressuring and threatening the military. Egypt, in some cases, is no more than masses and crowds."
 
The former vice president added on the Omar Suleiman Facebook page that the right decision requires a commander and not a million-man demonstration with chants and people blocking streets. 
 
Suleiman is best remembered for announcing the fall of Mubarak's iron-fist rule. Before serving briefly as vice president, the first person hold this post under Mubarak, he headed Egypt's intelligence.
 
All of Egypt's political forces have said they will be demonstrating against military rule and millitary trials in Tahrir tomorrow. 
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