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Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and Its Record of Double Talk
(Washington Post) David Pollock - Those who say the Muslim Brotherhood is showing new signs of moderation should compare its message to outsiders, in English, with its message to Egyptians and other Arabs, in Arabic. Last February, for example, the Brotherhood published an English-language version of Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie's message to the Egyptian people, celebrating their revolution, in which he supposedly spoke mainly of democracy, tolerance, pluralism and coexistence between Egypt's Muslims and Christians. But the text of his statement, published simultaneously in Arabic, had a totally different tone. Of course, it would be a welcome surprise if the Brotherhood does change into a more truthful and trustworthy interlocutor. In the meantime, we should pay no attention to anything the Brotherhood says in English and little attention to any private "assurances" it offers. The writer is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.