Mubarak, (Muhammad) Hosni (Said)

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Egyptian soldier and politician, president from 1981. Vice-president to Anwar Sadat from 1975, Mubarak succeeded him on Sadat's assassination. He continued to pursue Sadat's moderate policies, including support for a peace treaty with Israel, and introduced economic reforms, including a privatization programme, and increased the freedom of the press and of political association, while trying to repress the growing Islamic fundamentalist movement led by the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic Jihad. He was re-elected in 1987, 1993, and 1999. He survived assassination attempts in 1995 and 1999.

Mubarak led Egypt and the Arab League's opposition to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, providing Egyptian troops to the US-led coalition against Iraq in the Gulf War, and played an instrumental role in arranging the Middle East peace conference in November 1991. He gave support to the US-led war on international terrorism following September 11th, but was critical of the 2003 US war to overthrow Saddam Hussein in Iraq, warning that it would drive many more Muslims to anti-Western militancy.

The central band was widened in 1995. Red recalls the previous flag of the Kharijite Muslims. Effective date: 18 November 1995. >>