Egypt’s army: On the sidelines

There have been dramatic scenes in Cairo’s Tahrir Square as pro-Hosni Mubarak supporters clashed with opposition demonstrators. In the ensuing carnage, several people were killed and hundreds were injured.

The country’s military is increasingly being criticised for standing on the sidelines and watching the bloodshed unfold.

So what is the army’s role in this crisis and for how long can they stand aside and watch Egypt descend into chaos?

Inside Story discusses with guests: Gamal Mazloum, a retired general and professor of security at the Nile Academy in Riyadh; John Sfakianakis, an analyst who wrote his PhD on the Egyptian economy and the role of the military; and Richard Weitz, a senior fellow and director of the Centre for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute.

This episode of Inside Story aired on Thursday, February 3, 2011.