Cairo, February 03: The United States is extremely concerned that the possible ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will lead to the fall of other Arab leaders all over the region, an analyst says.
“America is petrified that if Mubarak falls, dominos will just tumble all over the oil-rich region,” former Middle East correspondent for the Times, Christopher Walker said in an interview with Media.
Walker did not even rule out the fall of Saudi Arabia in the wake of a revolution in troubled Egypt. “… even possibly as far as Saudi Arabia, which gives them (Americans) nightmares at night,” Walker noted.
Egyptians started an uprising against Mubarak’s 30-year rule in the wake of a revolution in Tunisia on January 14, which came after weeks of street protests.
Egyptians have taken to the streets across the North African country for ten consecutive days, demanding that Mubarak step down.
The unrest has prompted Mubarak to say that he will step down in September, 2011.
Tension, however, have been rising from early Wednesday morning when Mubarak’s supporters began staging their own rallies around the Egyptian capital, Cairo, saying the incumbent president represented stability while insecurity is growing. They are branding those who want his departure as “traitors.”
Tens of thousands of anti-Mubarak protesters remained at Cairo’s central Tahrir Square over the night, angry at the president’s refusal to step down immediately.
Inspired by Egypt, Yemen is also bracing for its massive “day of rage” protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had proposed a constitutional amendment in January that could make him the president of Yemen for life.
After days of demonstrations across the country, Saleh, however, said on Wednesday that he would not seek to extend his presidency when his current term expires in 2013. He also pledged that he would not pass on power to his son.
——–Agencies