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Following are excerpts from an interview with Tal'at Sadat, an Egyptian opposition leader who is the nephew of late president Anwar Sadat. The interview aired on Dream 2 TV on February 6, 2011.
Tal'at Sadat: I think the revolution of the youth is being stolen from them. In my view, the revolution of the youth is being stolen from them. With all due respect to the vice-president, the people I saw sitting with him for the dialogue today...
Interviewer: You mean the political forces?
Tal'at Sadat: What political forces are you talking about? A bunch of businessmen...
Interviewer: You sense that these people are seeking to get a portion of the pie?
Tal'at Sadat: A bunch of businessmen, a few hypocrites, and a group of people who, with all due respect, have nothing whatsoever to do with politics, yet they pretend to lead political parties... What political parties?! Who among them was even present at Al-Tahrir Square?!
Interview: Some of them did not oppose the regime when it was still powerful.
Tal'at Sadat: Some of them used to fly in the president's plane, others used to sit in the president's lap, and some of them used to kiss the president's shoe...
Interview: No, Tal'at, don't say that...
Tal'at Sadat: But it's the truth. Today, these people dare to speak ill of the president?! Today, they dare to speak ill of Muhammad Hosni Mubarak?! I would like to say something before we move on. Let me open my heart.
Interview: Although you are a staunch opponent of the regime, you are against insulting the president.
Tal'at Sadat: Despite my strong opposition to President Mubarak and his cronies, I would like to say a few words to the viewers, in order to be objective and avoid harming anyone. I oppose the president, and I say that he must leave office. I agree with you on all this.
But do not forget that on a certain day during the October 1973 war, the late Anwar Al-Sadat stood in the command center, and asked his top military commanders whether we should withdraw or not. He asked whether we should retreat to the east bank [of the Suez Canal], or whether we should leave them on the other side. The Egyptian chief of staff said that we should retreat. When Sadat asked the chief of staff, he said we should withdraw the forces, because there was a breach or whatever...
Credit goes to Hosni Mubarak – and I say this to the Egyptian people, and to the entire Arab nation... When President Sadat asked: "What do you think, Hosni?" Mubarak said: "Sir, my forces are capable of providing aerial cover for an attack, but I do not have forces capable of providing cover for a retreat."
Interview: So you maintain your position...
Tal'at Sadat: You should stress this... The Egyptian people must not allow any insult against the military establishment or Hosni Mubarak.
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