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Power. he resigned early this morning. egypt's military now controls the country. president obama says the people of egypt inspired us and have changed the world. he pledged today the united states will continue to be a friend and partner to egypt. let's go back live to the drama in the streets of cairo. our senior international correspondent in the thick of it. nick? >> john, this has to be one of the world's largest street parties right now. we're seeing families coming down with young children. babes in arms. they're in the crowd. they can see what is going on. songs are being sung. a real ...

Attitude hosni mubarak had, my question is what about the new military rulers of egypt who are most likely in the room when the conversations take place. do we have any reason to believe they are different, that they will actually embrace democracy? >> no. fundamentally, john, it's a very good question. the answer is no. in fact, you could make the case that the military are actually even less inclined to do that. the egyptian military owns hundreds and hundreds of economic entities and they have now, for -- to begin with, got rid of all the businessmen whom they didn't like by and large. and ...

Opposition. did you get any sense and are you getting any sense now that that opposition which was so fractured and was virtually nonexistent under mubarak, of course he crashed it, did you get a sense of any coalescing, any coming together? are they going to be a viable if and when there is an election? >> look, mubarak eliminated democratic ins tuss in the country over the last 30 years. that is the way he maintained power. that's why the muslim brotherhood is the only organization that still has some sort of reach in the streets though not as much as many people outside may think. but, no, ...

Prime minister. he is very much part of what is going on. the other man we want to have a look at is sami hafez enan. he is chief of staff of the egyptian arms forces. he served in two wars against israel. he has been in touch with admiral mcmull enduring ten. he spent a lot of time training with the u.s. military over the years. in fact, he was in washington holding talks when the whole protest started to break out. >> those relationships, michael, are now critical. and the united states says those are perhaps actually more trusting and deep relationships personal relationships between the mi...

We can run this out? >> yeah. that's a very good question. there is not a history of democracy in egypt. the military called the shots for a long time. all the people have ruled egypt, mubarak, they all come from the military. so, yeah, there's a lot of questions about what happens next. a lot of concern. i mean there is a lot of people who were concerned to see that military official reading out a statement today. they were hardened by the fact that he saluted what they call the martyrs of this revolution, the young people mostly young people who have died human rights says more than 300 who ...