My colleague David Kirkpatrick, The Times bureau chief in Cairo, reports:

With signs of fracturing within Egypt's ruling elite, hundreds of thousands of people packed Cairo's central Tahrir Square on Friday, chanting slogans, bowing in prayer and waving Egyptian flags to press a largely peaceful campaign for the removal of President Hosni Mubarak. [...]

Amr Moussa, the secretary general of the Arab League and a former foreign minister serving Mr. Mubarak, appeared among the crowds in Tahrir Square, seeming to align himself with the protest. Twice he sought to address the crowd, but both times he was drowned out by roars of approval at what seemed a tacit endorsement of their cause.

Mr. Moussa told The BBC why he joined the protesters in Tahrir Square: "The demonstrators have their voice loud and clear in asking for change and asking for reform. They are asking for a new era in Egypt and those demands and aspirations, I do share. Egypt needs a new beginning."

The independent Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm reported:

Earlier on Friday, Moussa said he is not ruling out running for presidency in September. He said he believes President Mubarak would not leave the country but remain until the end of his term in August. He also expressed readiness to play a role should a transitional governing body be formed.

Other prominent personalities have joined the protesters, including reform advocate Mohamed ElBaradei, former presidential candidate Ayman Nour, as well as several opposition figures and cinema stars.

Mohamed Rafah Tahtawy, the public spokesman for Al Azhar - the center of Sunni Muslim learning and Egypt's highest, state-run religious authority - also joined the protesters in Tahrir Square on Friday, after resigning because, he said, "I am participating in the protests and I have issued statements that support the revolutionists as far as they go."

Let's hope it happens today...

Been wodering why Hannity can talk about little else the last 3 days other that "Islam Bad"- then it dawned on me:

The talking points memo has been sent to all participants in the 'discredit Obama' clan, and he's just building up his attack postion. Hide and watch.

President Mubarak needs to step down NOW. He is a threat to the lives of his people. That old camel's hump is filled with enough fat to carry him far, far away.

Despots seldom step down, they would rather pull their nations into the abyss, then give up power. I feel sad for the people of Egypt and he difficult times they face.

Capitalistm is working in Egypt finally realizing their pockets are being emptied. Whether they are to the right or to the left. Change will now happen because the economics of keeping Mubarek just don't add up anymore.

Funny how things work sometimes!

One can only watch and wait to see how this all turns out, hoping that in the end it will turn out well for the Egyptian people and for the interest of the US.

Here's to hoping this comes to a peaceful settlement and true democracy.

The advantage /interest groups have separate the democratic movement. It is because Mubarak does not give an equal share of economical gains.

Mubarak is better to warn his groups not to use force right now; his groups can be like other demonstrators but do NO HARM to anyone.

Otherwise, there may be trials for those bararic acts against the unarmed children, unarmed women, and unarmed men. And, the Mubarak's group just use a white van today, a hit-and-run, to drive through the crowd demonstrators.

You guys are all so witty!

All of Mr. Mubarak's best friends are rich...............they are now losing money..................the banks are supposed to open tomorrow. No one has been able to get at their funds for 11 days. There is going to be a run on the banks. The Stock market is going to open on Monday. How far it will go down remains to be seen, 50%? No one knows, but, one thing is for sure, all of the president's "friends" will be telling him to get out now, before the entire financial system in Egypt collapses. "It's all about the money, stupid". We love you, but, could you please resign now?

'Got this feeling that Egypt is only the tip of the iceberg; with so much 'beach' in the middle East, doesn't it stand to reason that the 'tide' is just beginning to come in? Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, even Iraq and Iran should be watching for a tsumani.... and I don't mean just changing despots like changing socks, but perhaps true Democracy. Then we can copy it over here....LOOK OUT WALL STREET!!

Historically, the Muslim Brotherhood was, "founded in 1928 by the Egyptian schoolteacher/activist Hasan al-Banna (a devout admirer of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis), the Muslim Brotherhood (MB)—a Sunni entity—is one of the oldest, largest and most influential Islamist organizations in the world." Throughout its history, the Muslim Brotherhood has been involved in various acts of violent jihad. For example, in December 1948, a Brotherhood member assassinated Egyptian Prime Minister Mahmud Fahmi Nuqrashi. In 1954, Muslim Brotherhood member Abdul Munim Abdul Rauf tried to assassinate President Nasser. The Brotherhood’s mission statement, which is permanently posted on its official Arabic-language website, defines the Brotherhood as a Muslim community (jama’ah) that preaches for and demands the rule of Allah’s law (tahkim shar’ allah). Many others have noted this as well. The Muslim Brotherhood appears to be co-opting the non-violent protest of demonstrators in Cairo. Though originally not highly involved, the Muslim Brotherhood now seems to see an opportunity to emerge as a major player as Egypt’s national leadership changes. The current American presidential administration will be put to the test to decide how to negotiate with the new potential leaders of Egypt’s government with the Muslim Brotherhood in the mix. The Muslim Brotherhood is now claiming to be a non violent participant in the reform government of Egypt, it will be a major break from its past tradition of jihadic acts of violence. Of significance to Western supporters of the Egyptian protest, it is important to note that democratic, free elections and religious freedom would not necessarily both follow from a change in Egyptian national leadership. As many have learned from the War in Iraq, democratic elections in prominently Muslim nations can even lead to increased religious persecution among Christians or other non-Muslim religious groups. While we as Christians may support democracy in Egypt, we must be careful not to equate democracy with Christian liberty. In fact, if the Muslim Brotherhood takes a leadership role, some form of sharia law (law based on the teachings of the Qur’an) will be expected. Unfortunately, sharia law is the standard in eight of the top ten nations where Christians are most persecuted.

Hello America, let me just ask the question, is this a good thing or a bad thing? I believe that Google and Microsoft both could employ terrorist, just because someone works for google doesn't neccesairly mean they are a good person look at the Forthood Terrorist, personally I don't think that the Muslim Brotherhood has any interest in fighting terrorism, I would presume just the opposite, infact isn't that what their name implies?, Muslim Brotherhood, notice its not the Egyptian Brotherhood, or the Red Sea Brotherhood, or the Poor People Of Egypts Brotherhood, or the Pyramid Camel Riders Brotherhood, or King Tuts Helpers Brotherhood, no but the Muslim Brotherhood. to me that says it all, they are a factionous group desiring to eradicate any other peoples from Egypt and the middle-east that are not Muslim, such as the Christians and Jews. this Muslim Brotherhood should be treated like Alcaida or the Tahliban sincerely Fezzy Bear