Hosni Mubarak Had A Heart Attack?

If so, this would be quite the pattern between Egypt's last pharaoh and Tunisia's overthrown tyrant. Both men offered reforms as appeasement (naturally rejected), rescinded their previous commitment to die and office and pledged to solely (how generous!) finish their term and their resign as a concession to the people, and both men were finally sacked or fled the day after their third address. Really Mubarak and Ben Ali have been quite the pair. It is said they are not spending their retirement together. It could be quite the sitcom: "Two And A Half Dictators (the half could be the farce Gamal Mubarak)".

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So after Ben Ali landed in Saudi Arabia he had fallen to a stroke and rumors even circulated that he had died. Alas those words were premature. Ben Ali was gravely ill, but the Saudis protected him from too much publicity and now the word is he is back in a House of Saud palace with a monthly stipend.

But Ben Ali did chock. The grief of being overthrown was too much for him (word is he still doesn't not believe the revolution as is, but suspects a conspiracy involving drug-addled youth and Bin Ladin a la Gadhafi's crazy ramblings), how could the Tunisians hate him so and actually pull it off when he had seemed to invisible? Toast he is, and still cannot (never likely ever will) come to terms. It is not surprising that a man of his age, 74, with a history of bad health would suffer such a stroke in such conditions. Add to this his wretched witch of a wife, who likely scolds him daily for not being man enough to remain a ruthless tyrant until his death bed called. So Ben Ali nearly died.

And reports, official sources, are that Mubarak suffered a similar stroke. Apparently it was while or nearly about the time he was being questioned by state investigators for his alleged corruption. Mubarak, the Laughing Cow, is gravely ill he are told. Heart problems for a man who lacked any sympathy for the poor in his nation.

But is the word true? Many Egyptians believe it is certainly plausible that an 82-year old Mubarak with grave health issues in the past is capable of also falling further into poor health akin to Ben Ali in the face of such a stunning rebuke of his standing and character, and legacy; many still doubt it however. Of course, Mubarak could wind up dead and it would be natural for his age and condition and recent history, but many suspect that that the military (still sympathetic of the deposed tyrant and keen to protect him from prosecution) has crafted the story in order to shield him from further investigations and perhaps provoke some pity by the public to just leave him be. It could all be a sham cooked up to protect Mubarak from accountability. After all why go after a man nearing death?

Whatever it may be, it certainly appears another pattern has emerged between the two: Overthrow bequeaths heart-stopping shock!