February 11, 2011 was a day to remember for millions of Egyptians who managed to topple long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak following an 18-day popular uprising. Apart from the perseverance of protesters at that time, Mubarak’s downfall seemed imminent one decade earlier as people’s rage and frustration grew. Mubarak’s almost 30-year rule could be divided into three decades, each representing a phase. The first was relatively successful when he took over the country after the assassination of his predecessor Anwar Sadat at the hands of Islamists on October 6, 1981. In fact, many believe that Sadat chose an army general like Mubarak with mediocre political skills to act as the second-in-command in order for him to wield power in the country. But destiny was not in Sadat’s favour; and Mubarak became, by coincidence, the president of the most influential Arab country. Mubarak eventually proved Sadat wrong, restoring diplomatic ties with the Arab countries earlier angered by the peace treaty with Israel as he carried out economic reform domestically. Mubarak also adopted a strong foreign policy strategy, becoming the most influential ally of the US in the region. For years, he played a key role being a loyal friend of Israel and the USA as he mediated peace in the Middle East. Egypt’s army further took part in the Persian Gulf War, liberating Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion in 1991. Throughout the second decade of his reign, Mubarak’s ego started to appear on the surface as he seemed to have been convinced by his aides that he was irrepressible and indispensable. A personality cult gradually started to evolve at the time when media outlets acted as the regime’s propaganda machine, advocating for Mubarak and his short-lived economic achievements. Over Mubarak’s extended rule of Egypt, he never allowed for a possible successor, refusing to appoint a vice-president under the pretext that nobody was qualified enough to help him run the country.
Feb 2021. Egypt and Mubarak
