August 15, 2013 | Quote
Presidential Incoherence on Egypt
President Obama backed Mohamed Morsi to the hilt. He now refuses to back away from the military junta that has killed more than 500 and injured thousands. His only rule for Egypt is, it seems: Back whoever is in power at the moment. This is not a policy; it is the refusal to exercise leadership and it, not surprisingly, results in increased anti-Americanism when we reflexively back whomever is currently oppressing the Egyptian people. So much for the notion that national security adviser Susan Rice was going to bring about a foreign policy more robust and attentive to human rights.
In his statement today, the president’s logic was hard to follow. He announced:
While Mohammed Morsi was elected president in a democratic election, his government was not inclusive and did not respect the views of all Egyptians. We know that many Egyptians, millions of Egyptians, perhaps even a majority of Egyptians were calling for a change in course.
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And Middle East expert Reuel Marc Gerecht e-mails me, “There was so little in the President’s speech. He chose not to call a coup a coup and follow crystal clear US law; now since the coup has drawn lots of blood, and will surely draw much, much more, he is in an untenable situation but is still handcuffed by his first mistake.” He adds, “The president has turned a bad situation into a worse one.”