Politics
Obama condemns violence in Egypt, ancels military exercises
The military drill, which dates back to 1981, is seen as a cornerstone of U.S.-Egyptian military relations. It began after the Camp David Peace Accords between Egypt and Israel.
Obama, vented frustration that both sides in the Egyptian conflict were blaming the United States for the turmoil in the country since the military ousted Mohamed Mursi, Egypt’s first freely elected president, on July 3.
The United States has insisted it is not taking sides. But it chose not to condemn Mursi’s ouster or call for his reinstatement, leaving the impression that it had tacitly sided with the military and accepted a coup.
“We’ve been blamed by supporters of Mursi. We’ve been blamed by the other side as if we are supporters of Mursi. That kind of approach will do nothing to help Egyptians achieve the future that they deserve,” Obama said.
“We want Egypt to succeed. We want a peaceful, democratic, prosperous Egypt. That’s our interest. But to achieve that, the Egyptians are going to have to do the work.”
Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous nation, is of strategic importance because of its peace treaty with close U.S. ally Israel and its control of the Suez Canal, a vital waterway for trade and for the U.S. military.
Held every two years, the “Bright Star” exercise also was canceled in 2011 because of the political turmoil in Egypt following the ouster of longtime autocrat and U.S. ally Hosni Mubarak.
