BBC:
On the streets of Cairo it’s not just a fledgling democracy that lies in ruin. US policy too lies in tatters – in the eyes of many – or at least America’s reputation and credibility.
Since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the US has struggled to strike a balance between support for the tenuous progress towards democracy and protection of its national security interests.
The White House has tried hard to work with whoever is in power in Egypt but has ended up with no friends and little influence in Cairo.
Washington’s recent diplomatic efforts in Egypt have failed one after the other. Up until his removal from power, the US tried to counsel Mr Morsi to accept a compromise with the army and the protesters.
The US also appealed to the military not to remove Mr Morsi. After the coup, Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns travelled to Cairo twice to help mediate between the military and the Muslim Brotherhood. But even getting an audience in Cairo these days is a hard task for US officials.
The US refrained from calling Mr Morsi’s removal a coup for fear of upsetting the country’s generals and the millions who demanded Mr Morsi’s departure.
This has infuriated the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters who feel robbed of a democratic election. But far from ingratiating the US with the new interim rulers and the generals, Washington finds itself criticised by the anti-Morsi camp for what they perceive to have been the US’s unconditional support for Mr Morsi while he was in power.
When President Barack Obama interrupted his holiday in Martha’s Vineyard, he “strongly” condemned the violence and said the US opposed the imposition of martial law in Egypt. He sounded sombre and stern, though he spoke in an incongruous summer resort setting, he mostly seemed frustrated.
“America cannot determine the future of Egypt. That’s a task for the Egyptian people. We don’t take sides with any particular party or political figure,” said Mr Obama.
Some argue that the mere fact the US is still providing military aid to Egypt means the US has taken sides with the army. But Egypt’s commanding general, General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, has been openly scathing of the US.
http://live.reuters.com/Event/Egypt_Unrest_3
Live video: Various locations across Egypt. [Footage via Reuters Live Stream, switches between multiple Egyptian TV sources: CBC, On TV, Nile TV, Egypt]
See who the bad actors are.
They are the Muslim Brotherhood.
They have started fires all over the place while choking off access by fire/police/paramedics.
So far today there are 50 dead including some who jumped off a bridge.
It is just getting dark, so the fires are more visible than all day.
38 Coptic churches have been torched by MB.
yes they are the vilain there and they must be dealt as dangerous for a DEMOCRACY GOVERNMENT THEY THOUGHT WAS THEIR TO DO ANYTHING THEY WANTED ON THE PEOPLE,
GOOD THAT THE MILITARY DID GET HIM ALL OUT,
AND THEY WON’T BE ALLOWED TO RETURN,
THEY BETTER START TO OBEY THE MILITARY, OR BE SPENDING TIME IN PRISON,
ONLESS THEY WANT TO BE KILLED AND DISCOVER THERE IS NOTHING GOOD TO SEE IN HELL,
@ilovebeeswarzone: And all 72 ‘virgins’ are spitting images of Helen Thomas
Budvarakbar
yes, some will be disappointed,
bye
Maybe it’s Saudi Arabia’s credibility that’s in tatters. The Saudi’s have provided Egypt with more than $10 billion. They’ve pledged another $5 billion since Morsi was deposed. I wonder who it is in Egypt that are our good buddies are giving all that money to?
If you were watching the Reuters live feed from Egypt you saw when King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia made a public statement:
Saudi King Abdullah pledged his country’s support to Egypt’s fight on “terrorism,” saying it was the military-backed government’s “legitimate right.”
Saudi Arabia “has stood and stands with its Egyptian brothers against terrorism, deviance and sedition, and against those who try to interfere in Egypt’s internal affairs… and its legitimate rights in deterring those tampering with and misleading” its people, he said.
Saudi Arabia welcomed Morsi’s ouster, and King Abdullah was the first foreign head of state to congratulate Egypt’s interim president Adly Mansour hours after his appointment.
Following Morsi’s ouster, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait pledged a combined total of $12 million in aid to support Egypt’s faltering economy.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130816/saudi-backs-egypt-against-terrorism-king-abdullah-0
Morsi came to power selling one thing, while intending to implement something completely different. And he did. He implemented a dictatorship. That’s not what Egyptians had voted for. It’s just what they got.
The Obama crew came to power selling one thing, while intending to implement something completely different. And it did. It has done its best to implement the spread of government control over all corners of life in America, and insinuate government influence over each American. By any other name, that is socialism. That’s not what Americans had voted for. It’s just what they got.
Stuck on whether Morsi’s ouster was a coup or not? Of course it was a coup. And a good one. Quietly and effectively executed.
Stuck on whether it should have occurred or not? Of course it should have. The Egyptian military is about all that stands between the complete abdication to Sharia Law in the M.E. and sanity.
Does the current Administration support Morsi and the Brotherhood? Of course it did and does. It still can’t bring itself to condemn or even admit what Morsi did shortly after gaining power.
The Egyptian military commander should be given Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize for what he has done. Notice the Taliban is “up in arms” over this.
Nan G
I’M GLAD TO KNOW THAT THE MILITARY WILL HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE KING,
WE JUST NEED TIME TO CLEAR THOSE TERRORIST OUT OF THE STREETS,
AND THEN THE GOVERNMENT WILL DO IT’S JOB BETTER FOR THE EGYPTIAN.
The leader of the interin gov’t’s Defense Minister is ordering the rebuilding of all Coptic Churches burned down by the Muslim Brotherhood!
The headline reads:
Rebuild them ASAP, according to Col. Gen. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
And, get this: the Muslim Brotherhood should pay the cost to rebuild them!!!
FTA:
Nan G
what a difference of mindset is the new power of EGYPT,
SO ENLIGHTEN TO RECOGNIZE ,
VERY PROMISING FOR THE NEW EGYPT FUTURE.
THEY WILL NEED THE MILITARY FOR GOOD
TO CHECK ON THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD TERRORIST,
SAME AS HERE, THERE IS A LOT HERE ALSO,