Egypt's Ruling Generals Face Mounting Pressure

Black-clad riot police in Cairo have been firing rubber bullets at protesters to protect government offices and building walls of concrete on street entrances. Meanwhile, the US is threatening to stop its foreign aid.

Published

over 1 year ago

Categories

World, Middle East & North Africa, North Africa

Topics

Military, Middle East & North Africa

Places

United States of America, Egypt, Cairo

Tags

north africa, muslim brotherhood, protest, foreign aid, rubber bullets

Transcript

Script[Location - Date:][Source:][VO:]TEAR GAS AND ROCK-THROWING PROTESTERS...A FOURTH DAY OF VIOLENT PROTESTS IN CAIRO IS PUTTING MORE PRESSURE ON EGYPT'S MILITARY RULERS--AS DEMONSTRATORS CALL FOR A TRANSFER OF POWER TO THE COUNTRY'S CIVILIAN LEADERS...MEANWHILE, THE UNITED STATES IS THREATENING TO CUT MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS IN BADLY NEEDED AID.(open Nat)THICK WHITE SMOKE CLOGGED CAIRO'S STREETS -- AS THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS THREW ROCKS AT EGYPT'S SECURITY FORCES.MEDICS SET UP FIELD HOSPITALS TO TREAT THE INJURED...THE LATEST CLASHES WERE BROUGHT ON BY YOUNG PEOPLE PROTESTING A SOCCER RIOT THAT KILLED 74 PEOPLE...PROTESTERS ACCUSED SECURITY FORCES OF DELIBERATELY FAILING TO PREVENT THE BLOODSHED.WHILE THE PROTESTERS HAVE BEEN THE MOST VOCAL IN THEIR DEMANDS THAT THE MILITARY STEP DOWN--THEY HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY JOINED BY POLITICIANS AND LAWMAKERS.A COUNCIL APPOINTED BY EGYPT'S MILITARY LEADERS HAS PROPOSED SPEEDING UP THE TRANSFER OF POWER...THE COUNCIL SUGGESTS OPENING THE DOOR FOR NOMINATIONS IN LATE FEBRUARY...WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE VOTE TAKE PLACE AS EARLY AS APRIL.MEANWHILE, SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON ISSUED A WARNING OVER THE WEEKEND TO EGYPT'S FOREIGN MINISTER. SHE SAYS FAILURE TO RESOLVE A DISPUTE OVER EGYPT'S crackdown on U.S.-funded groups that promote democracy and human rights COULD LEAD TO THE LOSS OF AMERICAN AID.[SIGOUT/REPORTER, LOCATION, ASSOCIATED PRESS](****END****) VIDEO SOURCE: AP TELEVISION -----------------------VIDEO RESTRICTIONS: AP CLIENTS ONLY----------------------------------