Nightly News   |  February 10, 2011

Egypt expert: Mubarak 'treating cancer like a migraine'

Fawaz Gerges, Professor of Middle Eastern Politics at London School of Economics, discusses the implications of President Mubarak's declarations on Thursday, concluding that President Mubarak’s refusal to step down immediately is “a recipe for disaster.” NBC’s Brian Williams reports.

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This content comes from a Full-Text Transcript of the program.

BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor: As we continue to try to figure all this out, we're joined in that endeavor by Professor Fawaz Gerges from the London School of Economics . Professor, in plain English , what did we just witness happen here today?

Professor FAWAZ GERGES (London School of Economics): Well, Brian , what we witness is a regime disconnected from reality, clueless, out of it. President Mubarak and Suleiman , his vice president, don't appreciate the gravity of the crisis. In fact, Brian , I would say that the Mubarak regime has tested positive for cancer, yet Mubarak and Suleiman have deluded themselves they have a migraine. And that's a very, very dangerous situation because they're disconnected from reality. It's a recipe for escalation, a recipe for a disaster for Egypt .

WILLIAMS: And, professor, as you pointed out earlier today on the air, they may be being cheered on quietly by other Arab leaders who are -- would love to see strength and resolve on the part of Mubarak .

Prof. GERGES: You're absolutely correct. Tonight was -- is a good day for Arab dictators. They realize Mubarak is fighting to the end. They realize that they want to postpone the inevitable. They realize that Mubarak is not being humiliated. They realize that Mubarak is not listening to the Americans. It's another day for them. The tide has not fully shifted against them yet.

WILLIAMS: It's helpful in our explanation of what happened today. Professor, thank you very much -- I know it's late at night in London -- for sticking around to talk to us.

Prof. GERGES: Thank you.

WILLIAMS: Fawaz Gerges of the London School of Economics . We'll take