Mubarak a tool in the hands of the West

A political analyst has called Egypt’s leader Hosni Mubarak a tool for foreign powers, and that the Egyptian people want a change in the regime.

In an interview with Press TV, political analyst Maan Bashour from Beirut discusses Mubarak’s role within the foreign powers’ community.

Press TV: The Egyptian people don’t want to be led by Mubarak anymore, what is it exactly that people want? How do you see it?

Maan Bashour: I think the Egyptians are very clear about what they want, they want a change in the regime, they want their freedom, they want justice, social justice, political freedom and they want also to get rid of the old policies that were used as a tool in the hands of foreigners, Americans, and Zionists.

This is what the Egyptian people want and this was very clear in the streets and in the demands of the young Egyptians and demands of the political parties and political groups.

And I think what is very important to know is that in Egypt now, there are two kinds of struggles, there is a struggle between the masses and the regime, which is seen in the streets and also struggles within the ruling circle which reveals itself in these different appointments and these different decisions.

Mubarak knows that his role has finished. He is thinking of how to leave, of course to Washington, to the western circles, to the Zionists; Egypt is not an ordinary country. They are very anxious to see that Egypt would not leave the old pattern which was imposed on the Egyptians from El-Sadat to Mubarak.

Now I think the army has to understand what the people need and want. People want and they mainly want a change in the regime, or else I think these days will not end in a disappointment to the Egyptian.

Press TV: Now Mr. Bashour, you talked about the foreigners’ role, what you call Mubarak basically being a tool for foreigners, specifically referring to the United States and Israel. I want to look at the role of the United States in this so far, as far as statements that have been made coming out of Washington from US President Barack Obama. How do you see the way that the United States has been responding to what has been going on in Egypt so far?

Maan Bashour: I think, the American administration was very clear. What’s important to the United States is that any Egyptian ruler who is going to rule Egypt should follow the old policy, especially regarding the Zionist entity. It’s true that the new regime or new rulers will follow the same path that Mubarak was following and that’s why we hear in different statements by the United States that they are with the masses of people and this means that they are not with Hosni Mubarak, and at the same time they are working to bring a new elite in Egypt, which will serve the targets in the area.