The United States and other countries have condemned attacks on Mr. Morsi’s supporters. On Thursday, President Obama criticized the violence. He also cancelled a major joint military exercise with Egypt.
“While we want to sustain our relationship with Egypt, our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed in the streets and rights are being rolled back.”
Some observers have criticized Mr. Obama’s statements on Egypt. They say the United States is showing support for the Egyptian military if it does not take stronger action.
Saba Mahmood is with the University of California at Berkeley. She says the United States can pressure the military-supported government in Egypt to end the violence.
“If the United States is actually interested in instituting any kind of democratic change, they hold a very crucial card in this, which is over $1.8 billion of annual military aid that the United States gives to Egypt. They can simply say that we will suspend that aid unless there is an immediate dissolution of this intense violence.”
Others see hope for the competing forces in Egypt to avoid civil war and carry out the reforms that Egyptians wanted in 2011. That year, Egypt’s military answered huge protests by supporting the ouster of long-time President Hosni Mubarak.
Stephen Zunes chairs the Middle Eastern Studies program at the University of San Francisco. He says civil society has been growing stronger in Egypt and across the Arab world.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25