John Kerry Tries to Mend Rift with Egypt by Criticising Muslim Brotherhood
The US secretary of state, John Kerry, has accused Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood of stealing the legacy of Egypt’s 2011 revolution.
Kerry’s comments constitute his second attempt in as many weeks to mend relations with the Egyptian administration that replaced Morsi’s, after recent changes to the way the US gives aid to Egypt prompted Cairo officials to re-strengthen ties with Russia.
In a set-piece speech to American businessmen on Wednesday, Kerry argued that Egypt’s 2011 uprising was inspired by a demand for everyday freedoms, rather than a desire for religion to play a bigger role in public life.
“Those kids in Tahrir Square, they were not motivated by any religion or ideology,” said Kerry, referring to the thousands of protesters who camped in Cairo’s central square in early 2011, and called for the overthrow of the then dictator Hosni Mubarak.
“They were motivated by what they saw through this interconnected world, and they wanted a piece of the opportunity and a chance to get an education and have a job and have a future, and not have a corrupt government that deprived them of all of that and more.”
He added: “And then it got stolen by the one single most organised entity in the state, which was the Brotherhood.”
Kerry’s remarks are likely to please Egypt’s new army-backed administration, who argue that the Brotherhood’s removal was necessary to prevent the country falling into the hands of religious extremists, and who are increasingly frustrated at the west’s lukewarm reaction to both Morsi’s removal and the subsequent brutal suppression of his supporters.
But Kerry’s position will naturally infuriate Morsi’s supporters, many of whom took part in Mubarak’s 2011 overthrow alongside the liberal youth Kerry mentioned in his speech. Kerry’s words may also frustrate White House officials, who want Kerry to take a firmer stance against Egypt’s current administration, according to recent reports. Egypt’s new cabinet has been accused of being just as illiberal as Morsi’s and Mubarak’s governments, drafting new legislation that would obstruct the right to protest and the freedom of association.
The US is viewed sceptically by both Morsi’s supporters and opponents. Each side accuses the US of meddling in Egyptian affairs, and of siding with their opponents.
Egypt’s official state newspaper, al-Ahram, has twice in recent months printed front-page stories claiming the US had plotted with Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood to divide the country into mini-fiefdoms – an indication of how the US is seen by some Egyptians. Photoshopped pictures of Barack Obama wearing a jihadist-style beard, implying his support of terrorist extremists who have allied themselves to Morsi’s cause, are also a frequent sight in Cairo.
Egypt has long been the second-largest recipient of US aid, after Israel, with the US donating to Cairo an annual sum of $1.3bn since 1979. But Egypt was angered by a recent decision to tie the delivery of parts of this aid to the completion of democratic goals. It led to a visit by two senior Russian ministers to Egypt, in an apparent attempt to fill the power vacuum left by the US.
Source: The Guardian
