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CNN Saturday Morning News

Revolution in Egypt: Jubilant Egyptians Usher In Post-Mubarak Era; Liberation Square Still Celebrating; Egyptians Around the World Celebrate With Their Countrymen; Egypt's Military: The New Leader

Aired February 12, 2011 - 06:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: A new dawn has arrived in Egypt. Gone is the iron rule of a longtime leader, replaced by cheers from a hopeful nation ready to move ahead with real change. But it won't come easy.

JONATHAN MANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: The Egyptian revolution may not be the last in the region. As we've now seen, new beginnings can be contagious. We'll take a look at the winds of change blowing through the Arab world.

KAYE: From CNN Center, this is CNN. It is February 12. I'm Randi Kaye.

MANN: And I'm Jonathan Mann. We'd like to welcome viewers in the United States and around the world to our ongoing coverage of revolution in Egypt.

KAYE: And new this morning - I've been watching the tweets coming out from Egypt. And we have one from, really, the guy who really is the face of this revolution, Wael Ghonim, who's the - the - the Google executive who was a big part of organizing this revolution. And his tweet this morning says, "Good morning, Egypt. I truly missed you in the past 30 years."

And that is a big statement. Certainly sums it up from a lot of protesters there and a lot of people there around Cairo and around Egypt.

It is time to move on. That's the sentiment from some at the center of Egypt's revolution. Time to move past thoughts of punishing former President Hosni Mubarak and instead work to forge a new path for Egypt. Right now, people are still gathering in Tahrir Square. It was the center of the storm for 18 days. Now, the cleanup has begun and people are being urged to get back to work starting Sunday.

MANN: It was a very different scene last night. Have a look. Thousands celebrating the fall of Mubarak, for many of them the only leader they've ever known. The reaction around the world was swift but mixed with emotions of elation, relief and caution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By stepping down, President Mubarak responded to the Egyptian people's hunger for change. But this is not the end of Egypt's transition. It's a beginning. I'm sure there will be difficult days ahead and many questions remain unanswered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANN: Right now, keep your eyes on the Egyptian military. They're now in charge, given the responsibility to lead the country through the historic transition. But they aren't necessarily what the people bargained for or fought for or bled for.

It took the Egyptian people 18 days to sweep Hosni Mubarak out of office.

KAYE: Now, the cleanup has begun in Liberation Square, the center of the revolution.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen joins us this morning from Cairo.

And - and Fred, we have to ask, what is the mood like there now? Are people still celebrating?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They're still celebrating, Randi. It's a very cheerful mood.

If we pan over to Liberation Square, you can see that, yes, it is still filling up, and there aren't - already a lot of people who are out there. I have the impression that these are not only the same people who were in these demonstrations over the past couple of years (sic), but also just families coming here to see this place, which has now become, of course, so symbolic for the change in this country.

I spoke to some people earlier this morning, and many of them were telling me that this is an important moment, of course, in Egypt, in history, and how proud they were of this moment.

Let's listen in to what one young lady had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm so proud. I am proud. I am an Egyptian. I made a revolution. We had - we have changed the world. We changed ourselves before we change anything else. And I'm proud I'm Egyptian. I'm proud (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: Proud to be Egyptian. That, of course, is the gist that we were getting from these people.

But, as you said, a lot of people also looking forward to the future, saying that they hopeful that this military counsel that's now in charge of the country will indeed hand it back to the people and get elections going as fast as possible, or as fast as is possible in the current situation - Randi.

KAYE: And - and as far as the military, there are still tanks in - in the square. So can you explain why those would still be there? PLEITGEN: Well, the tanks, they've been there from the very beginning. They're basically there to ensure that everything on the square is orderly.

I mean, it is quite a big crowd. On the other hand, they probably haven't just gotten the orders to pull those tanks back yet. And just because the crowd is so sizable, it's probably not such a bad idea to have those tanks there.

But we're also seeing soldiers on the ground right in front of our location here who are actually directing traffic, so trying to keep that goings smoothly. And quite frankly, the army is in charge of the entire country. They're not just here on Tahrir Square. They're in other places as well. They're at a lot of key intersections here in Cairo. They're at a lot of key government buildings that, of course, still need to be protected.

So yes, the - the army is very much showing its presence on the street. And that's something that they've been talking about as well, is saying that we are the ones who are going to ensure stability in this time of transition - Randi.

KAYE: Those tanks may be for protection, but judging from the pictures that we're looking at, they also seem to be places where some of those protesters can gather for some very memorable photos and pictures.

Fred Pleitgen, thank you very much - Jon.

MANN: After 18 days, all of this changed really - what? - 18 hours ago. What had been the scene of protests and violence erupted with cheers at the moment of President Mubarak's resignation. And our Ivan Watson was right there, right in the middle of the madness.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Look at these scenes of euphoria and celebration.

(CHANTING IN ARABIC)

WATSON: Just moments ago, the news came out that Hosni Mubarak was stepping down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't want him!

(CHANTING IN ARABIC)

WATSON: Normally, you'd be frustrated to be stuck in Cairo traffic. But tonight, it's a party. Look at the scene.

(CARS HONKING THEIR HORNS)

WATSON: As people are out in their cars, they've brought their families out. They're waving flags. The kids are out as well.

How are you doing?

How are you?

(INAUDIBLE)

Have a good night.

And that's a word that we're hearing a lot here - " mabrouk" - "congratulations." One man said, "We did it."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: And while the heart of the protest was focused in Cairo's Tahrir Square, other demonstrators were near the presidential palace when the resignation was announced.

Crowds chanted "Egypt is free" throughout the night.

Omar Sultan is a CNN iReporter who was near the presidential palace last night when he shot this incredible video.

He joins us now by phone.

Omar, what a scene it was last night. I would imagine you're pretty tired out. Or are you still celebrating?

OMAR SULTAN, CNN IREPORTER (via telephone): No, I - I went home after the celebrations to get some rest. But I hope I can get to Tahrir Square today to join the celebrations again.

KAYE: When you heard, where were you and - and what was your reaction when you heard that Mubarak has stepped down?

SULTAN: Well, I was watching with my family. And when we heard that he finally stepped down, everyone was so happy to be part of this history. It was an unbelievable experience.

KAYE: Do you feel as though this is truly victory, or is there more work to be done? As some protesters have said, they would like to see Mubarak go to trial.

But is this enough for you?

SULTAN: I think it's a big victory. But the days ahead, we need to work harder. We have won our freedom, and now it's up to the Egyptian people to prove to the world that we are up to this freedom and that we can change the country by ourselves.

So we need to live up to - to this reason, if you want freedom, and show the world that we can change, not just by removing Mubarak, but by improving the country and making it a better country and show the whole world how we can change.

KAYE: And the Egyptian military is now in charge of the country's affairs, as they put it. What is your level of trust when it comes to the military, and what needs to be done by the military to get to these free and fair elections?

SULTAN: Well, so far the Egyptian military has been very helpful to the people. They have been amazing so far. And I have to say, I completely trust them.

But during the days ahead, we will see how it goes. They need to ensure that the constitution has changed, that the rules governing who can run for presidency is changed so that we can have fair elections.

If they succeed in doing so, then they will have played a very big part in changing the history of Egypt.

KAYE: And your movement in the streets hasn't really had one designated leader. Is there someone that you want to see, come election time, to run Egypt?

SULTAN: Honestly, right now, I don't know who's planning on running for presidency, who's - what the plans are. But as you said, they movement didn't have one leader. It was - a great credit goes to the guys who organized the groups on Facebook, people like Wael Ghonim and (INAUDIBLE) movement.

But it - it was a people's movement, after all. And no one leader was there. So we will see who is going to run for presidency later.

KAYE: Well, Omar Sultan, congratulations on your victory there.

SULTAN: Thank you. Thank you.

KAYE: And we appreciate your iReport and you bringing all that celebration video to us. And we hope to talk with you again. Thank you.

SULTAN: Thank you. Thank you.

KAYE: Jon.

MANN: Everything we've seen in Cairo has been so contagious. The wave of euphoria that washed over Egypt also finding its way to U.S. shores.

Egyptian-Americans celebrate in gatherings large and small, like this one in Brooklyn. Nearly 60,000 Egyptian-Americans live in the New York area alone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are so happy. Today, actually, our brightest day. Today, actually, a new nation, a new country, a new future.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got the freedom today. Everybody so happy. All these people has (INAUDIBLE) today. Even in the other countries coming for us, to celebrate with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANN: In Chicago, people gathered to mark the historic moment. At the Egyptian Consulate, on Michigan Avenue, people of all ages were there, all of them celebrating.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the first time in my life to feel proud that I'm Egyptian. And here is my son. He was in the protest. He just came two days ago. He was in Alexandria. And he did his part.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANN: Egyptian-Americans also gathered on a street corner in downtown Bellevue, Washington. Although Mubarak's resignation came yesterday morning in the U.S., Americans celebrated into the night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They did what we were not able to do, what we were scared to do, what we were afraid to do 10 or 20 years ago.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, I heard the news sitting at my desk. I cried immediately, and my next-door person on the cube came out and just gave me a strong, strong hug and she said she felt for me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: So nice. So much celebrating, but still so many questions, of course now following that resignation.

MANN: I know. But you could just feel the emotion.

KAYE: Oh yes.

MANN: It's like, all the analysis and the intrigues are for another day maybe. What - what an enormous, enormous sense of confidence and - and excitement there.

KAYE: And smiles instead of the angry chants that we saw for - what? - 18 days already.

And with Mubarak out, the focus now, of course, turns to Egypt's future and who will lead the way. How long will the military actually be in charge there?

MANN: Up next, some thoughts on who will fill the country's power vacuum? Will it be - and I think we have some pictures of him - Mubarak's own handpicked vice president? That man. Coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OMAR SULEIMAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF EGYPT (through translator): President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: And with those rather surprising words from Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman Friday, jubilation erupts in the streets of Egypt after 18 long days of protesting and the resignation of longtime Egyptian Hosni Mubarak.

Exactly what role current Vice President Suleiman will have in the new Egyptian government still remains to be seen.

MANN: Here in the U.S., President Obama was quick to hail the transition now under way in Egypt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: There are very few moments in our lives where we have the privilege to witness history taking place. This is one of those moments. This is one of those times.

The people in Egypt have spoken. Their voices have been heard and Egypt will never be the same.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANN: The thing is, there's nothing in Egypt's law or constitution to lead the way now. So in Mubarak's absence, there may be a power vacuum.

CNN's Michael Holmes takes a look at the military's role in post- Mubarak Egypt.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The big question, of course, is who is calling the shots in Egypt.

Well, right now, it is Egypt's Supreme Military Council. The military, of course, remains a powerful institution, one of the bedrocks of Egyptian society. The Supreme Council includes leaders of the army, the air force, navy and air defense forces.

The group's top brass includes Mohammed Hussein Tantawi. He is 75 years old and holds the rank of field marshal. Tantawi is Egypt's defense minister and the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.

And before Mubarak stepped down, he was promoted to deputy prime minister.

Former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen knows Tantawi and spoke of him earlier to our Wolf Blitzer.

WILLIAM COHEN, FORMER U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: I had worked with him while I was at the Pentagon, and - and he has served side by side with President Mubarak.

Now, the question is, whether he will continue to remain the head of the - the military as such, or whether that will pass on to a younger generation remains to be seen.

HOLMES: Another key member? Well, Lieutenant General Sami Hafez Enan. Now, he is the chief of staff of Egypt's armed forces and the commander of Egypt's army.

Enan is 63 years old and has spent considerable time training with the U.S. military. He was in Washington holding military talks when the protests first broke out.

Now, keep in mind, all four Egyptian presidents since 1952 have come from the military. Mubarak himself is a former commander of the Egyptian air force. The country relies on conscription for its 480,000 active personnel and reserves of 479,000 more troops.

And the U.S. has close ties with Egypt's military, as we said, providing more than $1.3 billion in military aid every year. But it is unclear what influence, if any, the U.S. holds with Egypt's armed forces when it comes to who is to lead the country next.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: CNN's Fareed Zakaria, the host of CNN's "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS" also commented last night about the military's impact on Egyptian society and the move toward a civilian government.

He talked with anchor Hala Gorani.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FAREED ZAKARIA, HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": This is the moment where the crowd, where the street, where the people had maximum leverage. They've used it. They've got something. But what they've got to hope is that this just doesn't end up being a symbolic victory. They need it to be a substantive victory.

The symbolic victory was Mubarak leaving. The substantive victory is that the regime is transformed from what is still a military dictatorship into a liberal, secular democracy.

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Now, the military in Egypt is a trusted institution. It's not a democratic engine for change in Egypt.

Is there confidence out there, among observers, that the military has not just the will, but the ability to usher true change in Egypt? ZAKARIA: It's a fantastic question, Hala, because the reality is, the military is deeply entrenched in the power structure. It is the power structure. It has enormous economic benefits that come from being - being the power structure. The military owns hundreds of factories. Retired generals have lavish lifestyles.

And are they going to give this all up very easily? No. And so the question is, how do you make that happen?

I think what you have to do is to give the people, give civil society some platforms of power. Right now, they have none. They're out there in Tahrir Square and it's great, but they don't have any - any platforms or instruments of power. If they get the national assembly and if they get the presidency and they get the constitution in effect, that gives them platforms of power. And that will slowly then erode the military's enormous prerogatives and power.

It's not going to happen overnight.

GORANI: Yes.

ZAKARIA: And if you look at the case of Turkey, of Indonesia, you see that while the military receded from - from their paramount role, it took two decades in the case of both - both those countries, and with a lot of pressure from the European Union, from the United States.

So this is good. This is a marathon. And we're just at the beginning.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MANN: A marathon that continues. We have live pictures now. It's 20 past 1 in the afternoon, after a very big night of partying. So first the protests, then the partying, now maybe a bit of a pause. But still, thousands still out there in Tahrir Square, all of them.

KAYE: It's amazing to see how many stayed; even after all the celebrating, they're still celebrating. They are not going home any time soon.

MANN: And they all know what Fareed Zakaria was saying, which is, this is just the start.

Well, the announcement yesterday though nothing short of stunning.

KAYE: A defiant Hosni Mubarak finally stepping down. The turning point, next.

Keep it right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Welcome back, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. As we watch the extraordinary events unfold in Egypt in the past 48 hours, we're left asking, what was the turning point for Hosni Mubarak and the Egyptian military?

I'm joined by Fawaz Gerges. He's a professor of Middle Eastern politics and international relations at the London School of Economics.

Thanks for joining us. Let me ask you, looking back, we saw Mubarak saying, no, absolutely not, he was not going to step down on Thursday, only to do that dramatic about-face on Friday.

So why now? What do you think changed his mind?

PROF. FAWAZ GERGES, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: I think Mubarak fought to the end. It was a very bitter fight. Neither Mubarak nor Suleiman wanted to do what they had finally to do.

They were trying to basically convince the public that they were serious about making concessions. Remember, think of all the minor concessions they made over the last two weeks. Even on Thursday, Mubarak tried to give the impression that somehow Suleiman was in charge.

The reality is, at the end of the day, the Egyptian military came to realize that the protests were not going anywhere, that this was a broadly based coalition. It was a social revolution. The army wanted to minimize damage, not just for Egypt, but also for the military.

The role of the United States was very critical as well. As you well know, President Mubarak in particular in the last two days, made it very clear that there must be change, even though it was a belated, sudden shift on the part of the administration, that the Egyptian army realized, fully realized, that the Americans wanted Mubarak out.

Mubarak became a great liability, not just for Egypt, but for the army and for American interests as well.

KAYE: So with Mubarak out, it doesn't mean that all the problems in Egypt go away. The military is now in charge of the country's affairs.

What does the military need to do today, right now, to start moving the country forward?

GERGES: Well, it's easy for us to say what the military needs to do.

Mubarak is out. The power structure remains the same. The economic structure remains the same. The vested (ph) interests remain the same.

Mubarak has built an infrastructure, a power structure over the last 30 years. Nothing really serious, nothing substantive has changed. Remember, when we say the military in charge, it's the senior commanders of the army who were put there by Mubarak. They have vested interest in the system that exist.

Defense Minister Tantawi, who is now in charge, is really a very close ally of President Mubarak.

(CROSSTALK)

KAYE: How do you move closer to a democracy? Because that's what the people want.

GERGES: And - and - and that's - and that's the question. The question is, Egyptians of all political persuasions - the democrats, the centrists, the activists, the opposition - must now provide, put forward a blueprint, a set of demands in order to convince the army, in order to pressure the army.

Remember, if we have learned one particular lesson from all the cases of the world about transition, whether it is the Philippines or Indonesia or Eastern European, this is the period, if the opposition and Egyptians fail to exert pressure on the army - the army won't do anything on its own. The army is an integral part of the system, in particular the senior commanders.

That's why the opposition and the Egyptian people must put forward a plan, a blueprint about what they want. They want to lift the emergency laws. They want substantive changes in the constitutions. They want a specific day for parliamentary elections. They want transparent institutions.

And, most important of all, they do not really want the army to be in charge. They want a committee of civilians, along with one or two military commanders, to oversee transition to parliamentary and presidential elections.

Remember, you know, as your guest said earlier, it took Turkey almost 80 years for the military to accept civilian leadership. In the Arab world, the army has been one of the biggest curse in our politics. The - the army, whether it's in Egypt or Syria or Yemen or Iraq, controls everything. And so regardless of how the Egyptians perceive the army, the army must be subordinated. The authority of the army must be subordinate - subordinated to the civilian leadership.

And this will not happen overnight. This will not happen by saying, well, the army should do this and should do that. The opposition and the active majority that has become, really, a power in Egypt now, a driver in Egyptian politics, must organize myself, give itself a voice and present the army with a road map of how the transitional process should proceed forward.

KAYE: Just the beginning of a - a very long process.

Professor Gerges, thank you for joining us from London. Appreciate your insight.

MANN: We're really just in the first hours of this revolution, a revolution that has shaken the Arab world.

Well, reaction around the world has been swift and mostly joyful. We'll be live in Pakistan, Jerusalem and Cairo next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: It is just past 6:30 Eastern at CNN Center, 1:30 in the afternoon in Cairo.

Welcome back, I'm Randi Kaye.

MANN: I'm Jonathan Mann. Thanks for joining us.

The Egyptian people forced a historic change in their country. The landscape is still shaking from the earthquake. President Hosni Mubarak is out after nearly 30 years in power. But new shoes, new man, new blood, not filling the void.

KAYE: Not yet at least.

Instead, long-time military leaders are calling the shots and setting a path for a new Egypt. This is what the protesters wanted. They said first and foremost, they wanted Mubarak out. Mission accomplished. Now, the cleanup has begun. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen joins us now live in Cairo.

Fred, the last we spoke with you, folks were celebrating. I guess that's still the case?

PLEITGEN: Yes, it's still is case, Randi.

And there is more and more people are coming in. As we pan back to Tahrir Square, we can see that there's a big crowd of people that is now actually moving towards this square, back to those--past those barricades that of course, have become so symbolic of the uprising.

I would say it's, at this point, again, tens of thousands of people coming here, a lot of families with children, a lot of people coming by car. I can see the highway overpass that goes past our vantage point is turning into a parking lot again.

Many of the people we have been speaking to, Randi, and this feeds into the point you were just making. They say they are quite happy with the fact the military has taken over. They are also saying they are going to keep a close eye on what's going on, to see that the military, at some point, then calls on the civilian government and hands authority back over to a civilian government.

Right now, really, still the mood down there on the street is one of pure celebration. Many people told us this is something they have been fighting for and dreaming about their entire lives. And there are people who are telling us, they feel like now is the day that they and Egypt were really born after the 30 years they had Mubarak in power, Randi.

MANN: Fred, it's day one. It's still early hours. Is there word from the military on what's next?

PLEITGEN: Well, we heard from the military yesterday, already. What they are saying is they are going to heed to the people's demands. They are going to keep the peace. The most important message, that they sent, and this is something that people on the square have been telling me as well, is that the transition is going to be orderly. They are going to keep up law and order on the streets. They are going to try and bolster confidence in this country as well. It's one of the things the people down there on the square keep saying. Is that they want this to be orderly and they want stability at this point in time.

Yes, they wanted this regime change, yes, they wanted Mubarak to go. They wanted his entire government apparatus to go. At the same time, they do want stability. It's a key issue right now. It's something that the military has been making points about again and again, saying that is their main focus as well. It is to keep the civility of this country to gain confidence back into the economy. Of course, which is in tatters right now; they are trying to get tourists back into the country and to get some sort of semblance of normal life going again.

That is the main issue for a lot of people here in Egypt right now, as they are trying to pick up the pieces. Reopen shops and reopen companies that have been down for a very long time and, of course, trying to get a lot of industries going again. Certainly that is going to be a major and very tall order. Then the military will tend to get a civilian council in place at some point and further down the line, elections, to then elect a civilian government. That's seems to be the plan at this time, Jonathan.

MANN: All serious stuff. But, you know, Fred, as you are talking, I'm smiling. We can hear everybody honking their horns in Cairo. A lot of people driving their cars, still caught up in the excitement.

PLEITGEN: Yes, I know.

MANN: Fred Pleitgen, covering the story. Thanks very much.

KAYE: The events in Egypt were being watched with great concern and curiosity throughout the entire Arab world. In some cities people took to the streets to celebrate with their Egyptian brothers. In others, they came out to voice their displeasure with their own governments. We start our look at reactions from the region in Yemen, with CNN's Mohamed Jamjoom.

Mohamed, how did people in Yemen react to the news from Egypt?

MOHAMED JAMJOOM, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Randi, a short while ago, the official government statement came out. What their reaction is to Egypt. They were expressing solidarity with the Egyptian people, and saying to help the Egyptian people in this time to try to strengthen the ties between both countries.

You didn't wait that long to hear from the Yemeni people. Last night, just a matter of hours after resignation (AUDIO GAP) Tahrir Square, it was a pro-Egyptian. They were trying to express their solidarity with the Egyptian people. In the end, it was an antigovernment demonstration here. Many of the people there started chanting slogans, down with President Ali Abdullah Saleh, of Yemen. They want regime change here. We have seen this over the last couple of weeks. We have seen protests happen, where people are coming out in solidarity for the Egyptian people, quickly, the mood turns into one of people wanting regimes change here now.

We also heard from activists that were at the scene, that there were clashes there. That there were pro-government demonstrators that came out and threatened some of the activists there. We spoke to the government spokesman a short while ago, and he told us that's not the case. He denied it. They said the demonstrations, either pro- government or anti-government, didn't happen. They are expecting more to happen in other parts of Yemen, Randi.

KAYE: All right. Mohamed Jamjoom, following it all in Yemen for us. Thank you.

MANN: In Iran, Friday was the 32nd anniversary of that country's own Islamic Revolution. And leaders there called the timing of the fall of the Mubarak regime a joyful coincidence. Iranian leaders having facing protests and crushing those protests, said a new Middle East is taking shape. Not the one the West had planned for. CNN's Reza Sayah is watching it for us, from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Reza, I'm curious about how excited Iranian authorities are about Egypt, now nervous they are about what it might mean for them.

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's very interesting what's happening in Iran. Because I think you have two different sets of reactions from Iran's hard-line leadership. One is a public official reaction, and one is an unofficial behind the scenes reaction. Publicly, officially Iran's leaders came out and praised the events in Egypt calling it a defeat for Washington and Israel and a victory for the Egyptian people and the Middle East.

It is interesting. They have described it as an Islamic religious awakening, even with the movement in Egypt rejecting that description. That is the official position of Iran's leadership.

But behind the scenes, there's all sorts of indications that Iran's leadership is very wary, very concerned about a possible ripple effect from Egypt's uprising, that it could spark a comeback with Iran's opposition movement, the so-called Green Movement that burst on to the scene less than two years ago, after the disputed presidential elections in 2009.

I think Iran's leadership is looking at the uprising in Egypt and seeing a lot of similarities between it and what happened in Iran. These are two broad-based movements that are asking for political freedom, social freedom, an end to oppression.

The question is, will what's happening in Egypt spark a comeback with a Green Movement that has largely been snuffed out because of brutal crackdowns with the government? There's a lot of buzz online with a rally being proposed for on Monday, by Iran's opposition leaders. The Iranian government has already started an apparent crackdown this week arresting dozens of activists, opposition figures, shutting down reformists websites, and putting one of the opposition figures, Mahdi Karroubi, under house arrest. Will there be protests on Monday in Iran? If there will be protests I think a lot of people will look at Egypt as the spark, Jonathan.

MANN: Reza Sayah, for us from Islamabad, thanks very much.

KAYE: Meanwhile, the Israeli government hasn't officially commented on the fall of the Mubarak regime. CNN Jerusalem Bureau Chief Kevin Flower, is life this morning with the latest.

Kevin, a very delicate balancing act, certainly, for the Israelis given that Egypt is at the center of the world and has been an ally to Israel.

KEVIN FLOWER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Randi.

Israel is really walking a tightrope here. They have not come out and said anything publicly at this point. They are in a bit of a bind. They don't want to be seen as opposed to the down fall of a dictator who was in power for 30 years, but at the same time, they are very worried about the stability in Egypt and the IDF, the Israeli armed forces chief of staff is quoted in local media here, as saying stability in the Middle East is preferable to democracy. That sums up the views of a lot of Israelis here as they look at the events in Egypt.

Israel is worried (AUDIO GAP) peace treaty it has in place with Egypt. Will that hold? (AUDIO GAP) border? Will Israel, in the future, have to put more troops there? It hasn't in the past 30 years, it hasn't been a concern.

It's also worried about what effect this has on Gaza. Last night, in the Gaza Strip, Hamas came out in force. Militants, mass militants and gunmen taking to the streets in celebration. They congratulated the Egyptian people for casting off Hosni Mubarak. It's those displays that have Israelis worried about what it means for their future and their borders, Randi.

KAYE: Kevin Flower for us, live in Jerusalem. Thank you.

MANN: One thing to note, there have been no public sightings of Hosni Mubarak since Thursday. The topic now turns to what will happen to Egypt's former president? Is there a chance he could he stand trial for alleged abuses of power? That's coming up.

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MANN: Welcome back.

This is history. Protesters forcing change earlier this year in Tunisia, now succeeding in forcing change in Egypt, after nearly 30 years of Mubarak rule. That's two Arab leaders in two months. We have seen rumblings in place like Yemen and Jordan.

Joining us now to talk about the winds of change is in the region is Marco Vicenzino, the director of the Global Strategy Project.

Thanks so much for being with us.

Hosni Mubarak quit yesterday. There were more demonstrations in Yemen, last night, there are demonstrations today in Algeria. Are we seeing more?

MARCO VICENZINO, DIRECTOR, GLOBAL STRATEGY PROJECT: I would say it is important to avoid the issue of the domino theory. It's important to avoid generalizations. What needs to be done is regional realities demand greater scrutiny. Change in the region, transformation is inevitable.

But the Middle East is a very diverse region. In each country, change is going to vary in each country. In places where you have greater repression, and elements of sectarianism, turbulent change is more likely. Where reform and transformation has been happening over the past decade in certain countries, their change may be accelerated, but it is not going to be as, I would say, as turbulent as we have seen in Tunisia, or Egypt, for example.

MANN: Let me jump in on that, Marco. Are we seeing the emergence of people power for the first time in the Arab world?

VICENZINO: Yes.

MANN: Particular local issues aside, is there something bigger that is now sweeping because of Twitter, because of Al Jazeera, because of CNN? Because of the excitement that seems to go across borders and boundaries?

VICENZINO: Politics are no longer being driven from the top down. Now, politics are driven from the bottom up. The idea is not only the rules of the game have changed, the entire game itself has changed.

MANN: Let me ask you about how the rulers are responding, in places like Jordan. The monarchy there has promised new reforms. Elsewhere, we are seeing in Bahrain, promises of different steps to manage public opinion. But in Saudi Arabia, in particular, it has been the most vocal. The monarchy there was clearly against the protests in Egypt and defensive about Hosni Mubarak. What does this mean for someone like King Abdullah, of Saudi Arabia?

VICENZINO: Saudi Arabia and Egypt in recent years have a very close relationship. Diplomatically they have worked together with the U.S. I would say that about in the past decade, Saudi Arabia has implemented many reforms. But they are of an economic nature, not a political one. In addition to that, there are obviously, the energy reserves gives the Saudi government a lot of money to spend on the basic well being of its people. It's done more so in the recent years than in the past. In my opinion, places like Saudi Arabia, the winds of change will not impact it as much as other areas. Change may be accelerated-

MANN: Are you suggesting that rich countries will be able to buy their way out of this problem and poor countries won't?

VICENZINO: If they are using their money in a proper way, to take care of needs, of the basic needs of its the people, of grievances that may exist. But if they try to have certain outlets, for expression, but if repression is going to be the means, the reaction is going to be greater.

MANN: Let me ask you, in this changing environment, and given what we saw in Cairo less than 24 hours ago, if the U.S. role is, well, if the U.S. is gaining influence or losing it? I ask you because Hosni Mubarak was an ally of Washington. The Obama administration literally did nothing to help him. Does this diminish U.S. power and influence?

VICENZINO: It's been the dilemma of U.S. foreign policy, since after the Cold War. It is the stability argument very democracy argument. Throughout the Cold War and recent years, the stability argument tended to prevail over the democracy argument. But the reality is today, as politics is being driven from the bottom up, the U.S. will be held more to account on its promotion of democracy. So, as time goes by, the U.S. needs to shift more toward a democracy. Because, once again, you are going to be liable to charges of hypocrisy; and after all, the argument, it has been made in recent years, is that where you have democracy, in the long term you will have greater stability.

MANN: Marco Vicenzino, director of the Global Strategy Project. Thanks again for talking with us.

VICENZINO: Thanks.

KAYE: He is the man of the hour. The Egyptian activist credited with using social media to spark this historic revolution. We are going to bring you his story, next.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WAEL GHONIM, EGYPTIAN ACTIVIST: I'm proud to be Egyptian. I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, congratulations to all Egyptians. I want to say welcome back Egypt.

To me, I have read about Egypt in the history books. They convinced us for 30 years that Egypt died. There's no more Egypt. We are just a generation that needs to eat and sleep.

Tens of thousands on its own (ph) decided to start a search, a journey, for Egypt. They convinced hundreds of thousands. Then they convinced millions of people. We were all looking for Egypt. Thank god we found her. I just want to say welcome back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANN: Welcome back Egypt. Not exactly a household name, but if you are been watching a lot of this on television, as most of us have, or reading about it in the newspaper, you may recognize the name or the voice of the man you just heard. Well, Ghonim was the Egyptian activist who was one of the driving forces behind this revolution.

KAYE: Ghonim's Facebook page is credited, actually, with helping triggering the move toward a new government. Ghonim is an unassuming 30-year-old. His weapon in all of this, a laptop computer. Our Ivan Watson spoke with him about the revolution.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON (voice-over): Armed with little more than a laptop, Wael Ghonim does not look like the leader of a revolution. But look how the people react when they spot him in the streets.

Strangers call out his name, embrace him, even stop their cars in traffic, just to say hello.

(on camera): Did you plan a revolution?

GHONIM: Yes. We did.

WATSON: What was the plan?

GHONIM: The plan was to get everyone on the streets.

WATSON (voice-over): Along with a group of young Egyptian activists, this 30-year-old marketing director for Google worked in his spare time to organize the January 25th protest that sparked a grass roots revolt.

(on camera): Was it an Internet revolution?

GHONIM: Definitely, this is the Internet revolution. I call it Revolution 2.0.

WATSON (voice-over): But after the third day of protests, secret police snatched him off the streets.

GHONIM: No, I was targeted, of course. They wanted me.

WATSON (on camera): What was going through your mind at that moment?

GHONIM: I was super scared.

WATSON (voice-over): During the week and a half Ghonim spent blindfolded in solitary confinement, the Egyptian uprising just kept growing. When he was finally released on Monday Ghonim emerged to discover a city transformed.

GHONIM: When I went out to the street, I can't tell you my feelings. I was so proud of the people.

WATSON: But he also learned many of the fellow street protesters had been killed in days of bloody clashes with Egyptian security forces and gangs of government supporters. More than 300 dead according to Human Rights Watch. This Egyptian Internet revolutionary now has a warning.

GHONIM: No one is going to go against our desire. No one. I'm telling this to Omar Suleiman. He is going to watch this. You are not going to stop us. Kidnap me. Kidnap all my colleagues. Put us in jail, kill us. Do whatever you want to do. We are getting back our country. You guys have been ruining this country for 30 years. Enough. Enough. Enough.

WATSON: Ivan Watson, CNN, Cairo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MANN: What an amazing man. Weal Ghonim sent a Tweet this morning. It reads: "Good morning, Egypt. I truly missed you in the past 30 years."

KAYE: Amazing.

Up next, our coverage of the revolution in Egypt continues. We'll have live reaction from around the region where Hosni Mubarak's demise is being met with open arms by some and a wary eye by others. Keep it here.

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