WASHINGTON -- President Obama (click here) on Thursday canceled a joint military exercise with Egypt that had been scheduled for next month, but stopped short of cutting off $1.5 billion in US aid to the country, in his first response to Wednesday’s bloody military crackdown.
Obama, speaking during his vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, did not use the word coup to define the Egyptian military takeover, which would have triggered an end to the aid under US law. The closest Obama came to threatening financial penalties was the threat of “further steps we may take as necessary.”
The president used some of his harshest language against the military crackdown, calling on Egyptian leaders to end the state of emergency.
“The United States strongly condemns the steps that have been taken by Egypt’s interim government and security forces,” he said.
“Violence will only feed the cycle of polarization that isolates Egyptians from one another and the world...
Six weeks ago Mr. Morsi was removed from power because of charges against him. The actions by the Egyptian military did not dissolve the democracy the Egyptian people are seeking. The elections are still to go forward. What has ensued in the weeks since Mr. Morsi was removed from office is objection to the removal of a President. At the time Mr. Morsi was removed he was not acting in the best interests of all the people. He pledged to be a President to all the people and he broke the law while compromising that promise.
It is my opinion, the Muslim Brotherhood is causing their own problem because they are afraid of the democratic process and the laws of Egypt. They want to return to their understanding of what Egypt is about while not realizing there are many more people in Egypt with different interests that have to be served as well. The Muslim Brotherhood sees a dead end to their ambitions, hence the violence.
It is the violence, the deaths, their dedication to 'take Egypt' rather than govern it that brings the conclusion a power sharing arrangement will best serve the country.
The elections have to go forward and the sooner that happens the future of Egypt will be better defined. In the meantime, the urgency to seek a resolve to humanitarian aid to the Egyptian people is in order. The global community could provide medical assistance to the people as well as food and other needs. The Egyptian economy has spiraled severely downward under Mr. Morsi and it's ability to provide basic needs of the people has deteriorated. The global community has to take that into consideration to help achieve non-violence with the people.
Six weeks ago Mr. Morsi was removed from power because of charges against him. The actions by the Egyptian military did not dissolve the democracy the Egyptian people are seeking. The elections are still to go forward. What has ensued in the weeks since Mr. Morsi was removed from office is objection to the removal of a President. At the time Mr. Morsi was removed he was not acting in the best interests of all the people. He pledged to be a President to all the people and he broke the law while compromising that promise.
It is my opinion, the Muslim Brotherhood is causing their own problem because they are afraid of the democratic process and the laws of Egypt. They want to return to their understanding of what Egypt is about while not realizing there are many more people in Egypt with different interests that have to be served as well. The Muslim Brotherhood sees a dead end to their ambitions, hence the violence.
It is the violence, the deaths, their dedication to 'take Egypt' rather than govern it that brings the conclusion a power sharing arrangement will best serve the country.
The elections have to go forward and the sooner that happens the future of Egypt will be better defined. In the meantime, the urgency to seek a resolve to humanitarian aid to the Egyptian people is in order. The global community could provide medical assistance to the people as well as food and other needs. The Egyptian economy has spiraled severely downward under Mr. Morsi and it's ability to provide basic needs of the people has deteriorated. The global community has to take that into consideration to help achieve non-violence with the people.
