I talked about why the US will not completely cut off aid to Egypt’s junta despite its continued murder and imprisonment of political opponents, but what does the Egyptian military think about this?
I’m not 100 percent sure, but there are some pieces of evidence that make me think we’ll soon find out and that we may even get a sense of who’s ultimately being taken for suckers.
Like I said before, Team Obama feels compelled to do something about its financial support to Egypt for appearances sake – even a suspension of aid – but Saudi King Abdullah already pledged to match or exceed any support cut by the US or the European Union.
When the US pulled out of its planned military exercises with Egypt, Russia immediately offered to take America’s place.
And then there’s that visit made to Egypt on President Obama’s approval by the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of our time, Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain. What struck me as odd about President Obama’s choice in emissaries is that Obama painted a picture of McCain being “erratic” in 2008, but deemed the Senator to be sufficiently rational to negotiate a volatile situation in Egypt on behalf of the United States?
I’m sure that either the Egyptian militarists have good memories as well, or they learned about McCain as soon as they met him. Guess what the the co-leader of Egypt’s National Salvation Front called him during a press conference?
A “senile old man,” among other things.
America’s financial support for Egypt was always considered a payoff for not making trouble for Israel and for allowing free passage through the Suez Canal. Regardless of America’s money, I doubt nouveau Egyptian strongman General Abel Fattel al-Sisi has any immediate intention of obstructing the Suez or picking a fight with Israel, but I get the sense that Egypt’s Junta may feel it can do anything else it wants and not stress about America’s money for the moment. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Egypt’s impoverished citizens.
On top of everything I just said, there’s a chance that former strongman Hosni Mubarak will soon be released from prison.
I’ll ask you – who’s getting played? And where’s that Arab Spring these days?
Song currently stuck in my head: “alto dance” – funk boy
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