Thursday September 13, 2012, 2:12 pm
"Obama’s strong words could mark a dramatic shift in the U.S.’s relationship with Egypt, which has been consistently pro-American since the late president Anwar Sadat. The country has maintained a peace accord with Israel since the 1979 Camp David Accords and since 1982 has received $1.3 billion in military and development aid from the U.S, according to the State Department.
How the recent election of President Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, will – or already has – affected the relationship between the two countries is still unclear. Morsi was Egypt’s first-ever democratically-elected president."

I watched clips of this last night. He is absolutely right. The people protesting at our embassy are Morsi's people. As most noted, were he not president there, he'd be in the streets with them. Egypt and the United States have a long relationship, even with the dictatorship that has existed there for so long. But at this point, as the President said, this is a fledgling democracy, Morsi is an elected president. The government is so new, the new car smell hasn't yet faded. We have no idea what to expect from Egypt, though Morsi was educated in this country, he is an Islamist first and foremost. The president was right to state clearly what he expects of Egypt in keeping our people safe. He was also right in saying we don't know yet what the relationship with this new government will be. As for the people of Libya, they appear truly dismayed and horrified by the terrorist attack that killed our ambassador and three others. Those RPG's that were used are weapons seized from the previous government when it was toppled. THAT was no "incident" it was an act of terrorism committed against the American people on the anniversary of 9/11. Those people must be found and brought to justice as the President also said.

I said this when the Arab Spring began, those dictators who brutally suppressed their own people would fall, but what would fill the void would be Sharia and that is not friendly to America or Americans. The middle east is in the midst of an enormous social and cultural upheaval. What emerges is completely unpredictable at this point, but I expect those countries to turn to Sharia, and they will if Iran or Saudi Arabia has their way, Shiite or Sunni, but Sharia for sure. I just wish the freaking oil would run out so they could be left to settle this themselves as they have warred with each other since recorded history began and most likely long before that. What comes there next is not certain. And personally? I don't want us enmeshed in any other "civil" wars in that region. Let them settle their affairs themselves. We'd insist on the same here, why should it be different there? Yes, we have strategic interests to think about, but I'd like to see us do that thinking on our own soil, while they do whatever it is they will do on theirs. Anything else and the powderkeg that is the middle east could blow us all up. I read a book many years ago as a teen actually that "predicted" or claimed that Revelations does, that Armageddon, or the next world war, would begin in the middle east. I scoffed then. But now? I can see circumstances where that could actually happen, not Armageddon, I don't believe that brand of crapola, but a war that dragged us, Russia, China and other nations into it? Possible. I hope not, but I do think it is one possibility, a horrific one and to be avoided if at all possible. Scary times indeed, climatologically and politically.

Thursday September 13, 2012, 4:27 pm
funny. It was when the dictator Mubarak was leading the country. But now that they elected someone and there's no puppet government, they aren't friends?

Friday September 14, 2012, 5:57 am
noted, thanks Carrie

Friday September 14, 2012, 8:02 am
I do hope and pray that Egypt and the USA can become friends if not allies - for the sake of all the good people who live there.

Friday September 14, 2012, 11:25 am
Kind of an acquaintance, then.

Friday September 14, 2012, 1:28 pm
and the line gets longer

Friday September 14, 2012, 1:37 pm
gee obama helped put the muslim brotherhood in charge of egypt and now they are our enemy. with that kind of policies over seas we sure don't need him fixing anything else. he better stop funding them with our tax dollars.

Friday September 14, 2012, 2:07 pm
I agree with Gene completely but also that these are truly scary times and one can only surmise what will transpire nex in the regiont. What worries me is that it always seems to be more scary, uncertain and violent as time goes by. This is definitely an issue well worth keeping our eyes on. Thanks very much Carrie.

Friday September 14, 2012, 11:23 pm
Obama is speaking to the "new government" of Egypt, according to my American/Egyption friends, here in America...and,...." Obama is "speaking"for us who are here in America and our family and friends still in Egypt, that will continue to fight for Democracy!!....."...so say, my friends, at the corner store and down the street!