Following are excerpts from an interview with Egyptian scholar Mamoun Fandy, which aired on ANB TV on March 30, 2012.
Mamoun Fandy: "People mistakenly draw a distinction between the Supreme Council of Armed Forces and the Muslim Brotherhood. In my view, however, the Freedom and Justice Party is not the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. Rather, the Muslim Brotherhood itself is the political wing of the SCAF."
Interviewer: "To that extent?"
Mamoun Fandy: "Of course. The first deal struck between the SCAF and the Muslim Brotherhood was that the Muslim Brotherhood would serve as the popular wing of the SCAF, in order to thwart the revolution. The SCAF has transformed from protecting the revolution to protecting the counter-revolution. The conduct of the SCAF over the past year has proven that it is an indispensable part of the counter-revolution, because its desire to maintain its funds and its status in society outweighed the need for a comprehensive vision for post-revolution Egypt.
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"Ultimately, the SCAF and the Muslim Brotherhood cannot see past their own noses. They cannot envision a new, free, Egypt. It all boils down to their narrow interests – a few billion dollars that they want to keep. In Egypt, it's all about money. […]
"The youth [of the revolution] believed in and dreamt of a better future. But they have gradually come to realize that they are dealing with a regime that is worse than Mubarak's, a regime that stripped a young girl naked in Tahrir Square by beating her. Egyptian society has never witnessed such things before – such violence that violates all prohibitions – even when the Arab treatment of women is taken into account. We have witnessed violence and bullying, both physical and cultural.
"Egyptian society is considered to be moderate in its thinking, but the moderates have withdrawn from the scene, because the rod is very hard indeed. I am referring to the 'rod' of the SCAF – its weapons, its beatings in the streets, and the 'rod' of accusing people of heresy."
Interviewer: "Is the withdrawal of the moderates final?"
Mamoun Fandy: "It is not for good. I think they have retreated for a while, in order to gather strength for a greater and more profound revolution, which might even include violence. The next revolutionary wave will not be peaceful, as some may think." […]
