Egypt Special: Fox TV's Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck Teach You How To Analyse the Crisis

Really, who needs Al Jazeera? Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck of the American outlet Fox TV give you all the historical knowledge you need --- from the opening sentence linking to World War I, "This is an Archduke Ferdinand moment" to the conversion of Egypt 2011 into Iran 1979 to blaming everyone on the "Progressive movement" to "We told England to sink [its own] ships" --- to interpret current events in Egypt.

In the end, it comes down to this: Which is worse --- the "jihadists" or the "Communist/Socialist movement"?

Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Will a Million March?

0522 GMT: We can now confirm that there will be a countrywide protest in Egypt on Friday. The day has been dubbed the "Friday of Departure" and it aims to force President Hosni Mubarak to once and for all quit and leave the country. 

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Latest Egypt Video: Friday's Battle of the Bridge, Sunday's Rally in Tahrir Square

Friday: The Battle of 6 October Bridge, Cairo

Sunday: Tahrir Square in Cairo "We Won't Leave. Mubarak Will Leave"

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Israel Snapshot: How West Jerusalem Can Benefit from Change in Cairo

On Sunday, speaking to his Cabinet, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underlined the importance of "stability and security" in the region:

We are anxiously monitoring what is happening in Egypt and [elsewhere] in our region. Last night, I spoke with US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. I also held consultations with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and with Israeli intelligence officials.

Our efforts are designed to continue and maintain stability and security in our region. I remind you that the peace between Israel and Egypt has endured for over three decades and our goal is to ensure that these relations continue. Of course, at this time, we must show maximum responsibility, restraint and sagacity and, to this end, I have instructed my fellow ministers to refrain from commenting on this issue. Naturally, we are also holding consultations in the appropriate government forums.

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Egypt in Pictures: Sunday in Tahrir Square in Cairo

Egyptian protester climbs traffic lights to place the national flag (Ahmed Desouki)

Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei speaks to supporters (Peter Macdiarmid)

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Egypt Snap Analysis: Sorting Rumours --- Will the Army Fire? Has Interior Minister Been Arrested?

Two very different rumours that we are watching....

1. The Army has been ordered to fire on protesters tonight. 
2. Minister of Interior Habib el Adly, as well as key ruling party figure and tycoon Ahmed Ezz, have been arrested. El Adly exited the Ministry of Interior amidst live fire this morning.

We're watching the situation carefully, but here is one interpretation. The story about el Adly was broken by the US Government's channel Al Hurra. That is the first occasion during this crisis that Al Hurra has been out front with news, and no other outlet is carrying this.

There were stories yesterday of a serious split between the civilian leadership in the Government and the military over whether to use live fire. And today it is notable that some have said el Adly was the Minister preparing the order to shoot.

So one interpretation is that someone high up in the US Government, which has been calling on Cairo to avoid violence, or someone in the Egyptian system close to Washington put out the story that el Adly had been detained. The signal would be that the Obama Administration does not want, in any circumstances, the bloodshed of protesters.

This is just speculation, of course, but it is as reliable at this point as the "news" which is circulating.

Egypt Analysis: Who is Doing the Looting and Why?

The world wants stability. The police/thugs are destabilizing the country. Mubarak will use the Army to bring the stability back. Of course no one would remember how he slaughtered Egyptians and quelled a popular uprising because all of that does not matter when stability is concerned. Mubarak will imprison thousands and kill hundreds. Then you can say good-bye to another revolution in Egypt.

The question that will decide the fate of this uprising is: Will the protesters buy the narrative that they need protection from the ‘thugs’ and should go home and let the army deal with them or will they will see through the lies and keep asking for Mubarak’s departure?

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Egypt Analysis: A Beginner's Guide to "How Did It Come To This?" (Iskander)

Even if these protests do not force Mubarak out, they have shattered the illusion of his credibility. Compromises or reforms will be unlikely to satisfy the protesters, which means that Egypt, and by extension the United States, will no longer be able to take the Egyptian people's passivity for granted.

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Egypt (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Mubarak Still in Power?

2247 GMT: A German news agency is claiming 19 private planes have departed Cairo Airport carrying Egyptian and Arab businessmen and families.

2245 GMT: Tens of thousands of protesters are still in central Cairo, with food being organised for them.

2240 GMT: A senior police officer has been kidnapped in Damietta, 200kilometres/120miles north of Cairo. Tarek Hammad is Head of Damietta Security.

2230 GMT: Escalating story tonight of at least one sniper in the Ministry of Interior picking off protesters outside the building. Witnesses are saying 10 to 15 people have been shot dead and dozens have been wounded. Dr Muhammad Hassan tells Al Jazeera that dead protestors from the area are flooding the makeshift field hospital.

2225 GMT: Al Jazeera reports the death of Major General Mohammed El-Batran, head of the Investigative Unit at Fayoum Central Jail in middle Egypt, 130 kilometres (80 miles) southwest of Cairo. About 700 prisoners have fled.

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Egypt Snap Analysis: The Army Allows Mubarak a Moment to Defy the Burning

Last night Mubarak stood almost alone. And what no one was quite saying is that his fate is not in his hands. The immediate issue now is whether the military will hold the line for him and whether the protesters will accept that. 

Unless there is something more from the President --- not just some economic payouts to the people but a clear sign that he and his son Gamal will be giving up the prospect of continued power, with promises of significant reform in the political system --- the demonstrations will continue. And at that point, the question will be whether the Army sides with those demonstrations or turns its guns upon them.

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