Obama threatens to cut aid to Egypt; Lawmakers charge pro-Morsi policy damaged U.S. interests

July 5th, 2013

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON â€” Congress has expressed dismay over U.S. support for the
Islamist regime in Egypt. Meanwhile, President Obama hinted at cutting U.S. aid to Egypt after its military toppled its pro-Muslim Brotherhood president.

Congressional critics cited signs and banners at Egyptian opposition rallies that blamed Obama, who provided unconditionally more than $1.5 billion a year in U.S. aid to Egypt, for the excesses of the Morsi regime.

Congressional critics cited signs opposition rallies that blamed Obama for the excesses of the Morsi regime.

Senior members of the House and Senate charged that President Barack
Obama’s support for Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has hurt Washington
with the huge pro-democracy opposition in that Arab state. They warned that
Morsi’s ouster could lead to an Egyptian backlash against the United States.

“As opposition to Morsi coalesced around the Tamarod movement, the Obama administration missed the opportunity to support its efforts and further the
vital interests of the United States without firing a shot,” Sen. Ted Cruz said. “Instead, the sole priority seems to be to defuse the situation and preserve the status quo.”

In an article for Foreign Policy on July 3, Cruz, a Republican from Texas, said Obama was now seen as the leading foreign supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood regime.

The senator cited the open defense of Morsi by U.S. ambassador Anne Patterson amid the huge protest campaign against Egypt’s first Islamist president.

“Ambassador Patterson has assumed the leading role in implementing this
policy, meeting with members of the opposition not to encourage them to
pursue a true secular democracy in Egypt but to try to persuade them to tone
things down,” Cruz said.

Similar criticism came from others in Congress, including House Foreign
Affairs Chairman Ed Royce and Senate appropriations subcommittee chairman
Patrick Leahy. They pointed to placards at Egyptian opposition rallies that
blamed Obama, who provided unconditionally more than $1.5
billion a year in U.S. aid to Egypt, for the excesses of the Morsi regime.

“Anne Patterson, you and your country go to hell,” read one placard at
Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the focus of the opposition campaign.

The congressional criticism comes as Ms. Patterson was being considered
for a promotion to assistant secretary of state. Ms. Patterson has been
scored for seeking to meet Brotherhood leaders while avoiding the
pro-democracy opposition.

“The ambassador has very much stated U.S. policies,” State Department
spokesman Patrick Ventrell said.

By July 3, the State Department, which urged Americans to leave Egypt,
turned against Morsi. Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the Egyptian
president, in his address to the nation on July 2, did not offer enough to
the opposition movement.

“There’s more that he needs to do,” Ms. Psaki said.

But hours later, Obama issued a statement that called on Egypt’s
military to release Morsi and Brotherhood leaders. Obama also warned that he
would review U.S. aid to Egypt’s military.

“I now call on the Egyptian military to move quickly and responsibly to
return full authority back to a democratically elected civilian government
as soon as possible through an inclusive and transparent process, and to
avoid any arbitrary arrests of President Morsi and his supporters,” Obama
said.

“Given today’s developments, I have also directed the relevant
departments and agencies to review the implications under U.S. law for our
assistance to the government of Egypt.”