Mubarak's strategy for combating the open source protest is now becoming clear. It's to create a vacuum. De-escalate and out-wait the protest.
Here it is with more detail:
- De-escalate. No confrontation in the streets. Withdraw police from the streets. Change the government (fire everyone) and appoint new people.
- Misdirect. Re-focus on looting (property crime). Initiate looting through the use of security forces in civilian garb (reports of this). Make the people feel unsafe/scared. Increase levels of chaos. Open the doors of the prisons (reports of this). Make it seem like the entire country is burning/falling apart.
- Militarize. Bring in the military to control key intersections and protect key buildings. Increasingly, focus the military on stoping property crime and violence. Realign government to increase ties to military.
- Wait. The protests will continue. However, with the fear of violence removed and people unable to take over key buildings, Mubarak and his cronies remain. The protests eventually diminish.
- Lock Down. The police return, with military backing. The secret police begin to ratchet up operations to re-establish a fear of the government.