Here's Charles Krauthammer's take on what's going on in Egypt:
Obama is a bystander, again. Here are the Egyptians in the millions out on the street, trying to bring down an Islamist government, increasingly dictatorial, increasingly intolerant, arresting journalists and judges, trying to Islamicize the military and the people are saying no, and what does the president of the United States do? He takes a position of studied neutrality, says he is not supporting either side. And yet, as you point out in the Mubarak revolution, he obviously strongly took the side of the people. He demanded that Mubarak had to go, he was not neutral.
This reminds me of the Green Revolution in Iran in 2009 when the same thing happened. Islamists, dictatorial government, the people out in the street, and they were shouting Obama, Obama, are you with us or against us. And he took a position that was essentially supportive of the regime, and the reason was he wanted to negotiate a nuclear deal which he thought he could do and he didn't want instability.
That was a shameful episode. But there's also idea of national interest. Mubarak was pro-American, he was an ally of ours, he helped us in all kinds of ways. Obama worked against him. Morsi represents a movement which is essentially deeply anti-American, and deeply anti-democratic, yet he is neutral on this.This is a shocking position for a president to take.
There's more too. Let's go to the videotape (Hat Tip: MFS - The Other News).
The only explanation for this is that Obama backs the anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-Israel Muslim Brotherhood. And that's a scary thought.
I disagree with your bottom line.
ReplyDeleteLike Syria, there are no good choices. Perhaps, there are no better choices.
Instead of looking at this as a pro-MB position, this can be purely seen as a pro-democracy position.
The opposition represents the half of Egypt that did not vote for Morsi. But Morsi was elected by a democratic majority, albeit a very small margin over 50%.
This is pure anarchy, instigated on the part of a massive movement of sore loosers who do not give a damn about democratic institutions.
No, I am not a worshiper of all things democratic and I'm anything but a fan of Obumbler. However, there are serious rational reasons why any western country should not support the demands of the thugs itching for an overthrow to get their way at the expense of the majority who voted otherwise, as much as I disdain what and whom they voted for.