GCIS/MSS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Separate whirlwinds demolish two Middle East figures in one day

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: DEBKAfile

02February2011 12:49pmEST

GCIS/MSS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Close observation of the circumstances surrounding the seven-day popular uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year old presidency cannot avoid noticing the skillful choreography which brought it up to a well-judged climax Tuesday night, Feb. 2. In fact, the hands of the United States, Britain and the Egyptian army heads were plain to see at every stage. Their agents pushed the levers for speeding up the street action when it flagged and hit the brakes before it went too far.

Interestingly, the outburst of fury appeared to be leaderless and totally spontaneous, an apparent liability in a popular revolution. In fact it was an asset. Mubarak's dread security forces were bereft of the power to break up the protest movement by the usual means of grabbing the ringleader, figure or group at its head. They were also denied an object of penetration for finding out what the street had in store and when – and getting their blows in first.

Without these levers of control, Mubarak's week-long struggle to keep his head above water was doomed from the start. (read full report)