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David Ignatius

Morsi’s White House enablers

“You need to explain to me why the U.S. reaction to Morsi’s behavior is so muted,” one Arab official wrote me. “So a Muslim Brotherhood leader becomes president of Egypt. He then swoops in with the most daring usurping of presidential powers since the Pharaohs, enough to make Mubarak look like a minor-league autocrat in training by comparison, and the only response the . . . [Obama administration] can put out is [Nuland’s statement].” This official wondered whether the United States had lost its moral and political bearings in its enthusiasm to find new friends.

The administration’s rejoinder is that this isn’t about America. Egyptians and other Arabs are writing their history now, and they will have to live with the consequences. Moreover, the last thing secular protesters need is an American embrace. That’s surely true, but it’s crazy for Washington to appear to take sides against those who want a liberal, tolerant Egypt and for those who favor sharia. Somehow, that’s where the administration has ended up.

For a lesson in the dangers of falling in love with your client, look at Iraq: U.S. officials, starting with President George W. Bush and Gen. David Petraeus, kept lauding Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, despite warnings from many Iraqis that he was a conspiratorial politician who would end up siding with Iran.

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Token article to get objective recertification. Failure.

Cindy Munford on December 9, 2012 at 12:10 PM

Reminds me of a joke.

Why won’t sharks attack lawyers?

Professional courtesy.

Kraken on December 9, 2012 at 12:16 PM

Barry owns everything that comes from helping to overthrow Mubarak and putting the Muslim Brotherhood in power.

albill on December 9, 2012 at 12:28 PM

Attempting to suggest that the Muslim Brotherhood has been corrupted by power after only a few weeks of Morsi’s reign is just preposterous. The Muslim Brotherhood is an evil cabal of terror-supporting Islamist fanatics. Their guiding principles require them to engage in every form of treachery that advances their cause. To call the Muslim Brotherhood corrupted is to call the sands of Sinai gritty.

“You need to explain to me why the U.S. reaction to Morsi’s behavior is so muted,” one Arab official wrote me. “So a Muslim Brotherhood leader becomes president of Egypt. He then swoops in with the most daring usurping of presidential powers since the Pharaohs, enough to make Mubarak look like a minor-league autocrat in training by comparison, and the only response the . . . [Obama administration] can put out is [Nuland’s statement].”

In a nutshell, Obama’s sympathies lie with the Muslim Brotherhood. Actions speak louder than words, not that Obama has been critical of the Muslim Brotherhood, quite the contrary. But as Mr. Phares said succinctly, outside of the US, Obama’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood is recognized and accepted as fact, based on his actions.

Walid Phares: Everybody knows Obama supports the Muslim Brotherhood

novaculus on December 9, 2012 at 12:28 PM

Andrew C. McCarthy knows all about the folly of the Arab Spring narrative. Islam is incompatible with democracy.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/335127/egypts-predictable-unraveling-andrew-c-mccarthy

onlineanalyst on December 9, 2012 at 12:47 PM

Uh – obama is a muslim sleeper agent – he used American taxpayer dollars to topple Mubarak and install Morsi and the muslim brotherhood in power – Why would obama or his administration speak out against their own plan?

Pork-Chop on December 9, 2012 at 1:27 PM

One of them

Schadenfreude on December 9, 2012 at 1:36 PM

“You need to explain to me why the U.S. reaction to Morsi’s behavior is so muted,” one Arab official wrote me. “So a Muslim Brotherhood leader becomes president of Egypt. He then swoops in with the most daring usurping of presidential powers since the Pharaohs, enough to make Mubarak look like a minor-league autocrat in training by comparison, and the only response the . . . [Obama administration] can put out is [Nuland’s statement].” This official wondered whether the United States had lost its moral and political bearings in its enthusiasm to find new friends.

This sums it up, perfectly.

Obama is a dictator who loves dic tators.

The leftists are bereft of decency. Obama killed it all off.

Own him, you god damend slave lovers. Slavery is still legal in Egypt.

Oh, and all you stupid women who voted for Obama – he hates you.

Schadenfreude on December 9, 2012 at 1:39 PM

Media, oh you Obama sh*t-eaters…it ain’t Beluga caviar.

May all of you suffocate from what you eat.

You enabled this terrorism in Egypt and in the US. May he destroy all which you hold dear, incl. you and your families. You incestual beasts, may you all give birth to cripple. You are married witht he gov’t. You deserve no less.

Schadenfreude on December 9, 2012 at 1:41 PM

Phony “teachable moments” abound in the era of Obama moralizing, but this one is worth our attention: Egypt is the Brotherhood unleashed. This week’s despotic bloodletting is the natural, logical, entirely predictable end of the Brotherhood’s machinations — not just in Egypt but everyplace the Brothers operate. That includes the United States, where our government takes their counsel, invites them to shape our national-security policy, and gives them a veto over the content of materials used to train our law-enforcement, military, and intelligence agents.

It is long past time to realize that this is not a game. The Brothers are playing for keeps.

The generals of the US are national traitors.

Schadenfreude on December 9, 2012 at 1:43 PM

The darkness of complicity or the darkness of stupidity? Or a bit from column A and B?

BL@KBIRD on December 9, 2012 at 2:43 PM

Boy that Michele Bachmann sure was crazy in going after Huma Abedin huh? nope..she’s been proven right..this white house has been infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood..this is why Obama isn’t going after Morsi..they are BFF

sadsushi on December 9, 2012 at 3:03 PM

The ‘liberal’ reformers in Egypt and Iran and other muslim countries have to learn that democracy doesn’t mean pacifism. They have to be ready to fight back against the totalitarians using stolen guns and improvised bombs and the same tactics used by the dictators.

slickwillie2001 on December 9, 2012 at 3:12 PM