Breitbart:
TIME Magazine reports that Egyptians “remain convinced that President Obama is backing the Muslim Brotherhood and deposed President Mohamed Morsi.”
Speaking on August 22, the head of Egypt’s Social Democratic Party Mohamed Abou El-Ghar said: “America is losing Egypt… There is a very strong perception that they are supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and they are against other parties.”
El-Ghar said this perception began growing when Senator John McCain (R-AZ) met with representatives from the Muslim Brotherhood in February 2012 but would not meet with with representatives from other parties. He said the perception “was furthered” when U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson “criticized Egypt’s military” for deposing Morsi in July.
On the day El-Ghar was interviewed, that perception was strengthened when State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki reiterated the Obama administration’s call for the release of Morsi.
The trend I’ve noticed in ME publications over the past 5 years culminate in this being the general opinion, not just the perception from Egyptians. Oh joy!
While it may not matter to some exactly what the ME believes Obama thinks about the MB and Shariah, it does matter that this view is automatically transposed to ‘America’ in general. That’s a problem.
The ME doesn’t get to view the regularly delivered lies from the teleprompter and rightly doesn’t care. It just considers what slaps it in the mouth — the action/inaction and the results. I have talked to secular and Christian Arabs who feel they have been betrayed by America. To them, the President is all powerful, regardless what his name is and he represents America. Comments and opinions I’ve heard are never repeated in our MSM. Strangely, the feelings are consistent – from Iranian Muslims to Iraqi Christians.
This hardly means we should get involved, but surely the teleprompter directors, Jarrett and co., could speak on behalf of ALL AMERICANS, and sanity, and common sense.
As Gomer Pyle would say, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!”
@James Raider:
Sooo — who do you think we are hearing from now?
To the extent that is the case, it IS a problem.
I wish I could find the cool poster carried by an Egyptian the other day that shows that, at least, SOME Egyptians can see the difference between Obama and Americans.
I was 1/2 Obama next to 1/2 American flag.
Through Obama’s photo was an X.
Through the American flag was a Check Mark.
Found it:
http://www.wtop.com/220/3381559/Talks-on-Egypt-leaders-hit-Islamist-block
@James Raider, if you read the original Times “swampland” article Breitbart refers to, several things become obvious.
1: It wasn’t just Obama admin appointees that gave such a “perception”, but John McCain as well. Ergo, it cannot be interpreted as just Obama’s Democrats and admin when GOP Congress members are over there, negotiating with the MB as well. And first in line, to boot.
2: That the Egyptian media planted that “perception” during McCain’s Feb 2012 negotiations visit with the accompanying headline, ” U.S. Warms to the Muslim Brotherhood”.
3: That the “perception” of so called all Egyptians comes down to one man’s opinion, Mohamed Abou El-Ghar. El-Ghar is a gynecologist/political activist, and co founded Egypt’s “Social Democrat Party”. I would assume that most have figured out they don’t like the MB, and they’re not all that fond of capitalist America either. The group has been admitted into Socialists International – an organization that advocates for socialist rule. It differs only from other socialist groups in that they prefer that their socialist state is acquired thru grassroots methods such as electoral change, or mass revolutions, as opposed to authoritarian methods.
In other words, he’s a Stalinist/Maoist with a kinder/gentler approach to accomplish the same end. But they’ll let a few more political parties exist.
I could care less what an Egyptian socialist says about the US. Nor is there any indication he speaks for the nation at large, much as John McCain and the Obama admin don’t reflect all American citizens’ views. In fact, don’t much care what the Egyptians decide to believe, based on their state media headlines. The days of a friendly US-Egypt relationship, had under al Sadat/Mubarak, are over. I doubt any ensuing POTUS is going to change that any time soon. What we need them to do is to cooperate on intel, and keep the peace with Israel. If they do that, don’t care if they are madly in love with the US and policies, or not.
Honestly, I don’t think the US had much of a choice. The Egyptians elected Morsi. What was the US to do? Say “nope, we don’t like him… try again”? In fact, the US should just butt out of all of it, and keep their opinions on ME countries’ internal affairs to themselves. But they never have, and likely never will. Such is life.
I think international opinion of the U.S., regardless the region, affects us through the long term. Verbal support from the White House, of significant foreign activity can be effective, and so can the lack of it.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians a couple of years ago, comes to mind, as one situation which could have been energized with intelligently delivered encouragement. We certainly knew which side of the battle believed in the entrenchment of Shariah.
Of course, the Administration has to have a cohesive strategy and foreign agenda for America before speaking out. Such seemed missing when the winds turned against Mubarak. Is there doubt that this Admin was supportive of the MB’s rise in Egypt? Strangely not. Was America?
We’re witnessing the world’s economy disintegrating as we await the falling dominos of the EU crashing with widespread impact – France is teetering with a President comparable to Obama, and in America the jobs being created are either government jobs or part-time jobs. I dare say more positive entrepreneurialism probably exists in the back alleys of Cairo, Mumbai and Casablanca than in those of Detroit where concepts such as capitalism are denigrated. Entrepreneurs and capitalism are the only answer to feeding 7 billion people – literally and otherwise.
In the insanity of current Egypt, the shooting of people like these two entrepreneurs gets lost, and isn’t positive internally or externally. Yes we should “physically” stay out, but the pulpit of the Oval Office is more influential internationally than we sometimes realize from here. America is still the shining light in this darkening world. It has a very powerful pulpit with broad influence, but it starts with a strategy, and someone interested enough to establish one.
@James Raider, there has been little “international support” of US policies for quite some time. Additionally, many fragile US Muslim nation allies have also not liked us, but have cooperated.
You need to separate opinions, of which historically none have fallen into the range of respect, from performance. As an extreme example, the Brits or the French don’t like the US, but they are allies. Same with Pakistan under Musharraf, starting under Bush. Or the former Libya under Gaddafi, starting under Bush. Both of the latter now have their own internal issues changing that.
The tides turned against Musharraf. Bush, wisely IMO, stayed out of it. That doesn’t mean that changed their electoral choices or paths. Today we are still dealing with the consequences, compounded by the increased drone warfare and intrusion on their sovereign territory. They can still be classified as more “ally” than “enemy”, tho that line is more finely drawn.
The era of more close ties with Egypt is upon us, just as it is with Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey etal. Ask not for approval or respect, but for cooperation. That’s all that’s left. And even were there a Romney presidency, he could not have stopped the planned Arab spring uprisings. This was a Zawahari/AQ plan since 2008. No POTUS could have.
The Egyptians don’t give a flying fart what the US thinks or wants. They only care if, for a moment, they need what the US can give them.
@MataHarley: #7,
That’s a critical point. In my travels, I found respect or appreciation for America, even if that didn’t translate to support of the President (whoever was in office). In most of those foreign countries, governments have had motive to ‘pretend’ and verbally denounce the U.S., while the population seemed more supportive. Stangely, with “Brits and France,” the reverse was more the norm – great amount of jealousy present, but united we stand, etc . . . .
I realize that your point comes to performance. Still, governments might be moved toward “performance” if the population’s consciousness can be moved in that supportive direction. The podium can be effective and inexpensive, unless you already have a Nobel Peace Prize in the bag. Meantime, yah, such is life.