Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Egypt: Analyst Questions Motives behind Prime Ministerâs Apology Joe DeCapua February 03, 2011 Egyptian state television Al-Masriya shows new Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq holding a press conference in Cairo, February 3, 2011 Photo: AFP Egyptian state television Al-Masriya shows new Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq holding a press conference in Cairo, February 3, 2011 Egyptâs Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq addressed the nation Thursday to apologize for Wednesdayâs violent clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters. Mr. Shafiq described the violence as a âdisaster.â University of Notre Dame Political Science Professor Imed Shahin, an Egyptian scholar, says, âHe tried to do two things. One, to extend an apology to the Egyptian people about what happened and second, he promised thatâ¦these kind of violent events are not going to happen again.  And I believe what he tried to do is disassociate the government from the brutalization of the pro-democracy protesters.â Credibility But professor Shahin says the question is whether the prime minister appeared credible. âI think that he left so many questions unanswered. And to me the biggest question is the role of the military in all this,â he says, âWe know as a matter of fact that the military refrained from protecting the pro-democracy protesters and left them subject to intimidationâ¦(by) what I call, the pro-Mubarak thugs or Mubarakâs thugs.â Shahin says they were not actually supporters of the president because their purpose was not to express a political opinion. âThey came to intimidate, disperse and brutalize the demonstrators.â Whatâs more, he says, there may have been other motives behind Thursdayâs speech by the prime minister. He says government officials âare still maneuvering, are still buying time in order to regain the initiative. On the one hand, he says theyâre offering to talk with pro-democracy demonstrators, while on the other, theyâre still carrying out repressive measures. âNot only against Egyptians and protesters,â he says, âbut against Amnesty International. They are arresting human rights advocates. They are also harassing reporters. They are forcing state civil servants to go out and protest in order to support Mubarak.â The military Since the protests began, many observers and analysts said the Egyptian people held the military in high regard, just the opposite view they hold of police. âThe latest response by Mubarak and his insistence to cling onto power is creating a major rift between the state institutions, including the military, the state security, the police, the intelligence (service) and so on and the rest of the population,â says Shahin. He says the military is a âhighly respected institution, but people also know that is a highly privileged military. This military is still a pro-Mubarak military. It has not sided with the people.â Shahin says if there is going to be a peaceful solution to the Egyptian crisis, then President Mubarak âhas to leave and he has to leave now.â He says two major protests are planned for Friday. One by pro-democracy suppoters, the other by pro-government demonstrators. The Notre Dame professor says he's concerned about possible violence. .