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Egyptians gather in Tahrir Square before Friday prayer to celebrate Mubarak's ouster one week ago today. Photo by Hussein Malla/AP Photo

Thousands of Egyptians  are in Cairo’s Tahrir Square today to celebrate former President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster last Friday.

Meanwhile, Eight Egyptian judges and lawyers are in their third day of meetings to amend the country’s constitution. They were appointed by the Supreme Council of the military, which heads the government.

Egypt watchers say this panel is a strong sign the military will keep its promise and push the country towards democracy. But some fear this marks a new era of military rule.

All day, Military bands have been playing patriotic songs and handing out flags.

For many Egyptians, the army has a special status: it ousted the monarchy almost 60 years ago and has just put an end to 30 years of autocratic rule.

New York University Middle East studies professor Zach Lockman says that’s why some Egyptians are willing to overlook the bad stuff.

“They are not thinking about the part where the soldiers stood by and allowed the thugs to attack the demonstrators,” he said.  ”And the military itself has picked up lots of people. We don’t know where they are.”

Lockman says its possible this revolution could go south—the way the 1952 military coup did. Then, promises for democracy gave way to rule by one autocratic general after another.

Mubarak team is still in place. His defense minister, Mohammed Tantawi now heads the Supreme Council which appointed the constitutional panel.

In one of the diplomatic cables revealed by Wikileaks, “civilian analysts and academics” are quoted as calling Tantawi “Mubarak’s poodle.”

Barnard College political science professor Sheri Berman points out that history doesn’t show many successful transitions from autocracy to democracy.

“The military will come in  a period of disorder as the only well functioning national institution and often times promise to turn over power, but then not do so,” she said.

But this time could be different. Three Mubarak-era ministers were arrested thursday including one responsible for the brutal crackdown on protesters.

And the constitutional panel includes an outspoken member of the Muslim Brotherhood and a Coptic Christian.

They are considering presidential term limits, judicial supervision of elections and  easing the way for opposition parties.

All this makes Lockman think military rule is only temporary.

“I suspect that they are serious in not wanting to be running things indefinitely,” he said. “They want to protect their position, they want to make sure things don’t get out of hand, but they don’t want to run things day-to-day.”

The Egyptian military already has a lot to run: it provides janitorial services and child care, and produces everything from exercise machines to fertilizer.

It’s estimated that as much as one-third of Egypt’s economy is under military control, but the army’s actual revenue is a state secret.

The U.S. provides just over one and a third billion dollars in military aid to the country each year.

Berman says the military could turn things around, as long as the protesters stay involved.

“What we have to hope here is that the head of steam built up by the protests will keep the military committed to that timeline that they have given, and that elections will actually be held and that a transition will actually occur,” she said.

The crowds in Tahrir square suggest that Egyptians won’t let up on the military anytime soon.

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A tense silence fell across Steinway Street in Little Egypt as the hour of President Hosni Mubarak’s speech approached. El Karnak restaurant was empty. It’s manager, Zaid Aboraz, was certain the rumors that Mubarak would leave were true.

“Sooner or later it will happen,” he said. “So he’s better off now than tomorrow, or next week.”

Ali Lotfi, the owner of a grocery store down the street, was not so sure.

“He’s an army man,” Lotfi said. “He’s not going to leave like that easy. He will stay until his period is finished.”

Minutes before Mubarak was set to speak, two waitresses at El-Rashwah, another quiet restaurant, were brimming with excitement. They preferred not to be named, but were planning a party in honor of the expected resignation. They promised to talk as soon as the speech was over. But as Mubarak spoke, they began to cry. They declined to be interviewed, saying they were afraid they’d be blacklisted and arrested if they returned to Egypt.

Similar fears may push many Egyptians to flee their country, but that may not make them refugees in the eyes of the United States. Tim Irwin is a spokesperson for the United Nations Refugee Agency.

“If the reason they left is because they didn’t want to stay in a country where these protests are going on, that may prove a difficult refugee claim,” Irwin said. “But if they said they left and they could prove that they had a justifiable fear of persecution based on one of the number of criteria that the authorities use, it might be that their case could be upheld.”

Since the protests began, large groups of Egyptian men have been gathering in the hookah bars and restaurants that line Steinway Street. They’ve been filling rooms with sweet-smelling smoke and heated discussion. Muhamed al-Zaedi is an IT consultant who came here in 2007. He’s 24 – which means that by the time he was born, Mubarak had been in power for six years already.

“I opened my eyes and found one president: Mubarak,” he said. “This is what’s wrong. You know, you can give, but you cannot give for 30 years.”

Steinway Street’s Egyptians say they will not be happy with a leadership that continues Mubarak’s policies. Even amid the joy, they are suspicious that remnants of his administration will persist.

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Egyptian anti-government protesters march in Assiut, Egypt today. President Hasni Mubarak finally stepped down earlier today. Photo by Mamdouh Thabet/ AP

What a difference a day makes.  President Mubarak’s departure today ends a tense 18 days and a particularly baffling 24 hours. Yesterday, Rumors were flying that Mubarak was stepping down. Then, at nearly 11 pm last night, Mubarak addressed the nation.

“I address you all with a speech from the heart,” he said. “Speech from a  father to his children, to his sons and daughters”

But the aging President angered a jubilant crowd already celebrating his resignation. He said he wasn’t going anywhere.

“I announced that I will adhere to this position and I also announced that I will similarly remain adamant to continue to shoulder my responsibility protecting the constitution, safeguard the interests of the people until the authority and power is handed over to this leader to be elected by the people in September coming,” he said.

Fast forward to today. Vice President Omar Suleiman announced Hosni Mubarak’s resignation just after nightfall in Cairo.

“President Mubarak has decided to wave the office of president of the  republic,” Suleiman said.

The supreme council of the armed forces has officially taken charge.

Washington has been closely monitoring political developments in Egypt. Last night, before Mubarak spoke, President Obama made his own statement.

“We are witnessing history unfold,” he said. “It’s a moment of transformation that is taking place because the people of Egypt are calling for change.”

Now that Mubarak is gone, Steve Sestanovich, a professor of foreign policy at Columbia University, says he may take a cue from one of his predecessors.

“When the Berlin wall fell the first president Bush said he was not goning be dancing in triumph on the wall,” Sestanovich said. “And that caution, that modesty will probably be Obama’s approach as well.”

The U.S. has a lot at stake. Egypt is a key military and political ally in an unstable region. Egypt grants expedited passage through the Suez Canal to U.S. Navy ships. It is one of Israel’s only allies in the region. The U.S. provides roughly 2 billion dollars each year in U.S. assistance.

While protesters are celebrating in the streets, there are still many unanswered questions.

“This may well shake a lot of clients of the United States in the region and force  some reconfigurations,” Lockman said.

Mubarak is expected to speak later tonight. Officials say elections, which had been slated for September won’t take place for another year.