I
could write a 300-page book on how the Obama Administration’s Middle
East policy has damaged Israel. I could write an 800-page book about how
the Obama Administration’s Middle East policy has damaged U.S.
interests. But why bother?
This is all you need to know:
The
U.S. government asked its good buddy Egyptian President al-Mursi to
inspect an Iranian ship suspected of carrying arms to Syria while it
passed through the Suez Canal. Remember that to do so is arguably in
Egypt’s own interest since Cairo is supporting the rebels while Tehran
backs the regime.
The
Egyptian government despite three decades of massive U.S. aid,
licensing to produce advanced American tanks and other equipment,
strategic backing, and an invitation to Washington to meet
Obama—refused. Indeed, al-Mursi headed for Tehran to attend a
“non-aligned” conference.
Does
this mean Egypt is going to ally with Iran? No, Egypt will fight Iran
for influence tooth and nail. The two countries will kill the others’
surrogates. But it means al-Mursi feels no friendlier toward America
than he does toward Iran. And Cairo will not lift a finger to help
Washington against Tehran unless by doing so the Egyptian Brotherhood
advances its own cause of putting more Sunni Islamists (anti-Americans,
of course) into power.
And right now that means Syria. Indeed, at the Tehran meeting al-Mursi called for the overthrow of the Syrian regime while the Iranian media mistranslated that as a statement of support for Syria’s government. (Wow, that will make the Egyptians mad!)
And right now that means Syria. Indeed, at the Tehran meeting al-Mursi called for the overthrow of the Syrian regime while the Iranian media mistranslated that as a statement of support for Syria’s government. (Wow, that will make the Egyptians mad!)
In
other words, under Jimmy Carter’s watch we got Islamist Iran—and, yes,
things could have turned out very differently—and under Obama’s
watch—and, yes, things could have turned out very differently— we got
Islamist Egypt.
Egypt,
the Arab world’s most important single country, has been turned from an
ally of America against the Iranian threat into, at best, a neutral
between Washington and Tehran that will do nothing to help America.
Egypt,
the Arab world’s most important single country, has been turned from an
ally of America—albeit an imperfect one of course—in maintaining and
trying to extend Arab-Israeli peace into a leading advocate of expanding
the conflict and even potentially going to war.
Egypt,
the Arab world’s most important single country, has been turned from an
ally of America in fighting international terrorism into an ally of
most international terrorist groups except those that occasionally
target Egypt itself.
But
here’s one for the 600 rabbis who front for Obama: The destruction of
the Egyptian natural gas pipeline and deal, as a result of the
instability and revolution that the U.S. government helped promote, has
done as much economic damage to Israel as all the Arab and Islamic
sabotage, boycotts and Western sanctions or disinvestments in its
history.
But wait there’s more, lot’s more.
After
meeting Egypt’s new president, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said,
"I was convinced that President Mursi is his own man," adding that the
new president is committed to democratic reforms and to representing all
Egyptians.
Question: How does Panetta know this?
Answer: This is what Mursi told him.
Of
course, by endorsing Mursi before he does anything, the U.S. government
puts its seal of approval on the Muslim Brotherhood regime. Shouldn’t
it have to do something to prove itself before Obama gives up all that
leverage? What next? Perhaps Mursi will get the Nobel Peace Prize after a
couple of months in office.
Note
the phrase “his own man.” What does that mean? Why that Mursi won’t
follow the Brotherhood’s orders. He will even stand up against it,
presumably to be more moderate, right? There is no reason to believe
that this is true.
Panetta
added: "They agreed that they would cooperate in every way possible to
ensure that extremists like al Qaeda are dealt with." Of course, they
are more likely to cooperate against al-Qaeda, a group they don’t like.
But will they cooperate against Egyptian Salafist terrorists, Hamas, and
lots of other terrorists? Of course not.
Indeed,
at the precise moment Panetta was meeting Mursi, the new president was
releasing Islamist terrorists from Egyptian prisons. These include
terrorists from Islamic Jihad which is part of the al-Qaeda coalition!
How do you square that one, Secretary Panetta?
And
finally, Mursi pointed out to Panetta that his own son was born in
California, when the future Egyptian president was studying there. His
son, Mursi pointed out, could be the president of the United States one
day.
I’ll let you, dear readers, pick up on that previous paragraph.
Of
course, the Obama Administration can claim one success in Egypt: the
regime pulled its forces out of eastern Sinai in accord with the
Egypt-Israel peace treaty. The problem is that it has been reported in
the Egyptian media—a good source though not confirmed—that the regime
made a deal with the al-Qaida terrorists who attacked Israel. If they
promised to stop fighting (for how long?) the Egyptian government would
release all of their gunmen.
Meanwhile
the most important (formerly) pro-Islamist moderate intellectual in the
Arabic-speaking world has defected, an event of monumental importance
that is being ignored in the West. The Egyptian sociologist Saad ed-Din
Ibrahim hated the Mubarak regime so much that he joined with the
Islamists as allies and insisted that they were really moderate.
Now here’s an interview he just gave, Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV. spoke as follows:
Interviewer:
"You indicated that the Muslim Brotherhood are hijacking the country,
not merely the top political posts. Is the Muslim Brotherhood indeed
about to hijack the country?"
Ibrahim:
"Well, this is how it seems to me, as well as to other observers, some
of whom are more knowledgeable than me about the Brotherhood," long-time
members, who have now helped him understand the Brotherhood’s “desire
to hijack everything and to control everything." [I assume he is
referring to relative moderates in the Brotherhood--and some of these
individuals have also spoken publicly--who have either quit the
Brotherhood in disgust or been expelled.
I
suggest Ibrahim and these people, not to mention the liberals packing
their bags and the Christians piling up sandbags, know better than
Panetta.
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