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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Egyptians look to military 'saviour' | Egyptians look to military 'saviour' |
| (2 days later) | |
| The military podium where Sadat was shot is monument to the army's glory By Magdi Abdelhadi BBC Arab affairs analyst, Cairo | The military podium where Sadat was shot is monument to the army's glory By Magdi Abdelhadi BBC Arab affairs analyst, Cairo |
| Nearly 60 years since the Egyptian army overthrew the monarchy, some Egyptians may be looking to the army again for a successor to 81-year-old head of state and former air force chief Hosni Mubarak. | |
| On front of the podium where President Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981 while watching a military parade there is a huge frieze. | On front of the podium where President Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981 while watching a military parade there is a huge frieze. |
| The gilded triptych glorifies the military and places it at the heart of Egyptian society from the time of the Pharaohs. | The gilded triptych glorifies the military and places it at the heart of Egyptian society from the time of the Pharaohs. |
| The central scene portrays soldiers, together with farmers, workers and students, carrying a plaque inscribed with 1952 - the year a group of army officers overthrew King Farouk and declared Egypt a republic. | The central scene portrays soldiers, together with farmers, workers and students, carrying a plaque inscribed with 1952 - the year a group of army officers overthrew King Farouk and declared Egypt a republic. |
| Another attraction in nearby Heliopolis is the October Panorama, a permanent exhibition describing in epic terms how the Egyptian army crossed the Suez Canal in 1973 and destroyed Israeli fortifications. | Another attraction in nearby Heliopolis is the October Panorama, a permanent exhibition describing in epic terms how the Egyptian army crossed the Suez Canal in 1973 and destroyed Israeli fortifications. |
| School trips are organised to the Panorama regularly, to instil in young Egyptians pride and love of their armed forces. | School trips are organised to the Panorama regularly, to instil in young Egyptians pride and love of their armed forces. |
| The message is clear: the military injects dignity and pride into Egypt and deserves its privileged status - a status the officers have enjoyed since 1952. | The message is clear: the military injects dignity and pride into Egypt and deserves its privileged status - a status the officers have enjoyed since 1952. |
| But these privileges reached new heights during the rule of Hosni Mubarak, who took over after Sadat's assassination. | But these privileges reached new heights during the rule of Hosni Mubarak, who took over after Sadat's assassination. |
| Officers' clubs boasting lavish sports facilities and restaurants; subsidised housing; military hospitals; these are just some of the most visible perks - the likes of which no other profession in Egypt enjoys. | Officers' clubs boasting lavish sports facilities and restaurants; subsidised housing; military hospitals; these are just some of the most visible perks - the likes of which no other profession in Egypt enjoys. |
| The military has also been transformed into a veritable business empire, whose exact size, turnover and profit no-one is allowed to know. Not even parliament can scrutinise its affairs. | The military has also been transformed into a veritable business empire, whose exact size, turnover and profit no-one is allowed to know. Not even parliament can scrutinise its affairs. |
| First step | First step |
| No-one dares talk about the armed forces in public. | No-one dares talk about the armed forces in public. |
| Talat Sadat is a popular figure in his Nile delta hometown of Meit Abul Koom | Talat Sadat is a popular figure in his Nile delta hometown of Meit Abul Koom |
| "We are not even allowed to mention the words 'the army' in our reporting", a young journalist tells me. | "We are not even allowed to mention the words 'the army' in our reporting", a young journalist tells me. |
| One man who broke that taboo, Talaat Sadat, spent a year in jail. | One man who broke that taboo, Talaat Sadat, spent a year in jail. |
| The MP and nephew of the assassinated president had suggested during a speech in parliament that the investigation into his uncle's murder was not thorough enough. | The MP and nephew of the assassinated president had suggested during a speech in parliament that the investigation into his uncle's murder was not thorough enough. |
| Nevertheless, a year in a military prison has not prevented him from viewing the army as Egypt's best hope after Mr Mubarak. | Nevertheless, a year in a military prison has not prevented him from viewing the army as Egypt's best hope after Mr Mubarak. |
| "We are waiting for the army to take the first step," he says "then we will support it... just like in 1952." | "We are waiting for the army to take the first step," he says "then we will support it... just like in 1952." |
| "I am fed up with businessmen-ministers, especially the princes of the ruling NDP," says Mr Sadat, in an apparent reference to the new business elite associated with President Mubarak's son, Gamal. | "I am fed up with businessmen-ministers, especially the princes of the ruling NDP," says Mr Sadat, in an apparent reference to the new business elite associated with President Mubarak's son, Gamal. |
| Mr Sadat is not alone. | Mr Sadat is not alone. |
| Engy Haddad, a Harvard-educated publicist, once worked for the ruling National Democratic Party in the belief that reform was possible from within, but she was quickly disillusioned. | Engy Haddad, a Harvard-educated publicist, once worked for the ruling National Democratic Party in the belief that reform was possible from within, but she was quickly disillusioned. |
| She then helped set up a group to monitor elections and another to fight corruption in state institutions. | She then helped set up a group to monitor elections and another to fight corruption in state institutions. |
| She sees poverty as a ticking time bomb in Egypt and says there is no alternative but that the men in uniform intervene. | She sees poverty as a ticking time bomb in Egypt and says there is no alternative but that the men in uniform intervene. |
| "We are all hoping that happens. And by 'we' I mean liberals. The game is no longer fair! The game is stacked against the poor. There is no future. The country is being eaten through by corruption." | "We are all hoping that happens. And by 'we' I mean liberals. The game is no longer fair! The game is stacked against the poor. There is no future. The country is being eaten through by corruption." |
| She hopes that a patriotic figure from the army will see the unfairness and step in to put things right. | She hopes that a patriotic figure from the army will see the unfairness and step in to put things right. |
| Warning from history | Warning from history |
| It is a dearth of coherent secular alternatives that presents such a problem to people like Engy Haddad. | It is a dearth of coherent secular alternatives that presents such a problem to people like Engy Haddad. |
| Critics accuse Mr Mubarak of stifling political development | Critics accuse Mr Mubarak of stifling political development |
| To liberals and leftists alike, the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the best organised opposition group, is anathema. | To liberals and leftists alike, the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, the best organised opposition group, is anathema. |
| So is what is known as the "hereditary scenario" - Gamal Mubarak being installed as president in a charade dressed up as a democratic vote. | So is what is known as the "hereditary scenario" - Gamal Mubarak being installed as president in a charade dressed up as a democratic vote. |
| For nearly three decades, say critics and opposition activists, Mr Mubarak has prevented development of a mature political system in the name of stability. | For nearly three decades, say critics and opposition activists, Mr Mubarak has prevented development of a mature political system in the name of stability. |
| After hearing that even some liberals want the army to step in, I wondered what the officers would think of that. | After hearing that even some liberals want the army to step in, I wondered what the officers would think of that. |
| But since the army does not talk to the media, I turned to one of the very few surviving architects of the 1952 coup. | But since the army does not talk to the media, I turned to one of the very few surviving architects of the 1952 coup. |
| I was granted rare access to Dr Tharwat Okasha, who is now in his late eighties, and has served as ambassador and minister of culture during the Nasser era. | I was granted rare access to Dr Tharwat Okasha, who is now in his late eighties, and has served as ambassador and minister of culture during the Nasser era. |
| He delivered a damning verdict on the consequences of the officers' involvement in politics. | He delivered a damning verdict on the consequences of the officers' involvement in politics. |
| Would he have taken part in the 1952 movement if he had known the consequences? The answer was categorical. | Would he have taken part in the 1952 movement if he had known the consequences? The answer was categorical. |
| "I would never, never [have] participated. No," Dr Okasha responds in a defensive manner. | "I would never, never [have] participated. No," Dr Okasha responds in a defensive manner. |
| A warning from history then to those who think that soldiers can still sort out politics. | A warning from history then to those who think that soldiers can still sort out politics. |
| Part two of Mubarak's Egypt will be broadcast on the BBC World Service on Monday 29 June. |