Bfgrn
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- Apr 4, 2009
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Obama Plays Hardball and Egypts Morsi Folds
The attack on the US consulate in Benghazi happened because the Libyan government is still weak, rebuilding after its revolution against Muammar Qaddafi. But there was no doubt that the new government was a friend of the US ambassador who was killed, Chris Stevens, or that it would mobilize to deal with the cells of the Ansar al-Shariah extremists that launched the attack. Pro-America demonstrations regretting the attack on the consulate have been held all over Libya.
In an interview with Telemundo, President Barack Obama showed his annoyance with Morsi:
President Obama
Egypt is among about 14 countries designated at major non-NATO allies by US presidents. This status recognizes that they do joint military exercises with the US, and gives them special access to advanced US weaponry. However, some of them are not allies in the precise legal sense. That is, there is no obligation of mutual defense. A true ally, as with NATO states, is one that the allied country is pledged to defend from attack. Still, US officials typically have referred to Egypt as an ally, and the State Department made clear that it continues to do so.
So Obama was technically correct that Egypt is not an ally in the sense that Britain or even Turkey is. But unlike what some media outlets wrote, this statement was no gaffe. Rather, Obama was playing hardball with Morsi, trying to impress upon him that the status of major non-NATO ally is not automatic now that the Muslim Brotherhood is in control. It will have to be re-earned, at least from Obamas point of view. And the lack of response on the embassy attack is not consistent with ally status. Non-NATO ally status is bestowed by a stroke of the presidential pen, so Obama could take it away.
White House spokesman Jay Carney added on Thursday that Obama spoke with President Mohamed Morsi, the first Islamist leader following an uprising which toppled Mubarak last year, on Wednesday and impressed upon him the need to protect US diplomats
Under Obamas pressure, Morsi, in Brussels seeking European aid, finally explicitly condemned Tuesdays attack on the US embassy in Egypt:
President Morsi
Some of Morsis sudden willingness to say all this was fueled by Obamas pressure. In addition, Morsi revealed some of his other motives:
President Morsi
That is, somebody told Morsi he had to say something if he wanted to keep the tourist trade, much less the American alliance!
more
"We've got this thing that so many military believe that Republican administrations are good for the military. That is rarely the case. And, we have to get a message through to every soldier, every family member, every friend of soldiers that the Republican party, the Republican dominated Congress has absolutely been the worst thing that's happened to the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps."
Major General Paul D. Eaton
The attack on the US consulate in Benghazi happened because the Libyan government is still weak, rebuilding after its revolution against Muammar Qaddafi. But there was no doubt that the new government was a friend of the US ambassador who was killed, Chris Stevens, or that it would mobilize to deal with the cells of the Ansar al-Shariah extremists that launched the attack. Pro-America demonstrations regretting the attack on the consulate have been held all over Libya.
In an interview with Telemundo, President Barack Obama showed his annoyance with Morsi:
President Obama
Egypt is among about 14 countries designated at major non-NATO allies by US presidents. This status recognizes that they do joint military exercises with the US, and gives them special access to advanced US weaponry. However, some of them are not allies in the precise legal sense. That is, there is no obligation of mutual defense. A true ally, as with NATO states, is one that the allied country is pledged to defend from attack. Still, US officials typically have referred to Egypt as an ally, and the State Department made clear that it continues to do so.
So Obama was technically correct that Egypt is not an ally in the sense that Britain or even Turkey is. But unlike what some media outlets wrote, this statement was no gaffe. Rather, Obama was playing hardball with Morsi, trying to impress upon him that the status of major non-NATO ally is not automatic now that the Muslim Brotherhood is in control. It will have to be re-earned, at least from Obamas point of view. And the lack of response on the embassy attack is not consistent with ally status. Non-NATO ally status is bestowed by a stroke of the presidential pen, so Obama could take it away.
White House spokesman Jay Carney added on Thursday that Obama spoke with President Mohamed Morsi, the first Islamist leader following an uprising which toppled Mubarak last year, on Wednesday and impressed upon him the need to protect US diplomats
Under Obamas pressure, Morsi, in Brussels seeking European aid, finally explicitly condemned Tuesdays attack on the US embassy in Egypt:
President Morsi
Some of Morsis sudden willingness to say all this was fueled by Obamas pressure. In addition, Morsi revealed some of his other motives:
President Morsi
That is, somebody told Morsi he had to say something if he wanted to keep the tourist trade, much less the American alliance!
more
"We've got this thing that so many military believe that Republican administrations are good for the military. That is rarely the case. And, we have to get a message through to every soldier, every family member, every friend of soldiers that the Republican party, the Republican dominated Congress has absolutely been the worst thing that's happened to the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps."
Major General Paul D. Eaton
