Morsi Aide: Egyptian Army Can’t Oust President Without ‘American Approval’

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There is a bit of déjà vu happening in Egypt right now: as mass protests against the Morsi regime continue to grow, the Egyptian army gave the regime a 48-hour ultimatum, threatening direct military involvement in the political process “if the demands of the people are not realized.” In other words, if Morsi doesn’t either step down or call for early elections, the army will move to unseat him, just as happened when the protest movement prompted the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

But, as the Guardian is reporting, the Morsi regime believes that is impossible unless Washington wants new leadership.

The head of Egypt’s armed forces, General Abdel Fattah Sisi, threatened direct military involvement in the political process “if the demands of the people are not realised”, in a statement implying that Morsi should either step down or at least call early elections.

The presidency indicated that it viewed the statement as a coup d’etat, and implied that Morsi was safe as long as his administration still had US support.

“Obviously we feel this is a military coup,” a presidential aide said. “But the conviction within the presidency is that [the coup] won’t be able to move forward without American approval.”

This should serve as a much-needed corrective to claims that the Obama administration relinquished America’s imperial holdings in Egypt and allowed the democratic process post-Mubarak to take hold unencumbered. As Egypt’s rulers see it, so long as the overlords in Washington want them to stay in power, then stay in power they will – regardless of what the public desires.

“[T]he U.S. strategy in the region is to prefer a managed transition to civilian rule and democratic governance as long as the American major strategic objectives are not challenged,” wrote Esam Al-Amin last year. Namely, to “keep the Americans in, the Chinese and Russians out, the Iranians down, and the Israelis safe.”

And as The New York Times reported last year, US aid to Egypt helps keep the pockets of defense corporations nice and full.

Granted, the Egyptian military is no benevolent savior in all this. They continue to have entrenched interests within Egypt’s power structure and have a record of serious abuse. Their gripe with Morsi is probably not about fulfilling their commitment to national self-determination. But when the military finally turned on Mubarak in 2011, demonstrators in Tahrir Square held up Egyptian soldiers on their shoulders and handed babies to tank operators rolling through the streets.

It’s hard to argue that the U.S., who has propped up a dictatorship in Egypt for decades in order to serve its own geo-political interests of control and domination, should have more of a say in Egyptian politics than the protesters and anyone who apparently speaks on their behalf.

6 thoughts on “Morsi Aide: Egyptian Army Can’t Oust President Without ‘American Approval’”

  1. Morsi and his Muslims brotherhood are nothing but a dictatorial puppet regime set up by USA and England and ordered to do what in their interests.., otherwise they won't get paid, as USA already paid the Egyptian government 5 billion dollars. Morsi so as Erdogan need to go and take their religious dictatorship into Saudis Arabia or UAE, they alway welcomed by the Sharjah or Dubai or Abu Zabi to live a religious and dictatorial life. People of Egypt voted for democratization of a hypocra-attic regime.., Morsi steal the people's will and sold his sole to America, so is the fact with Erdogan in Turkey. In the name of solidarity.., Power to the people of Egypt and Turkey.

    1. Muslims brotherhood badly effected.,lost creadiblelity to lead sunni world

  2. It was the Egyptian military that was dictating to Morsi which cabinet appointments he could make last August. Egyptian “democracy” has largely been a joke since it’s still the military who pulls the strings, and whether it were Morsi or some other idiot who got elected would not change this.

  3. the Egyptian people knows that when they took out of power in 2011 the other US puppet, they were trick to believe they had chosen a democratic elected leader but now they realize that this man it always had been plan B for the US, and they want him out of power now! I am grateful to see the Egyptian people are fighting to get their country back from the hands of Imperialism. I hope the world is paying attention to Egypt situation and wake up to facts ,all poppets dictators ,are place to serve their masters not their people.

  4. Only thing that happened: America just lost a strategic position and won't be able to control pipelines through africa and the middle east, and it's going to be the same in the rest of the north african region

    Say "hi" to coming poverty :)

  5. This is how people oust dictators – no armed foreign terrorists needed, no no-fly zones needed, no bombings needed. Morsi's narrow view of seventh century desert cave way of life is not suitable for 21st century. Egyptians were embarrassed having Morsi as a president. Morsi did not win the election, USA and Qatar made Morsi the President.
    Portuguese Army should take cues from the Egyptian army and stand for the people, like they did in 1974

  6. This is how people oust dictators – no armed foreign terrorists needed, no no-fly zones needed, no bombings needed. Morsi's narrow view of seventh century desert cave way of life is not suitable for 21st century. Egyptians were embarrassed having Morsi as a president. Morsi did not win the election, USA and Qatar made Morsi the President. tnx

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