Posted on 09/21/2014 12:31:28 AM PDT by GonzoII
El-Sissi: Egypt ready to join terror fight
President speaks on Islamic State threat
Hamza Hendawi
Ian Phillips And Lee Keath
CAIRO – Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is feeling vindicated by the world’s alarm over Islamic extremism that is fueling wars and bloodshed across the Middle East.
The former army general has faced widespread international criticism for his ouster last year of Egypt’s first freely elected president and his ferocious crackdown on Islamists that has killed more than 1,000 and imprisoned more than 20,000. A year later, after el-Sissi’s election as president, his critics fear he is leading his country into autocracy, with pro-democracy dissenters jailed or silenced.
But in an interview with the Associated Press – his first with the foreign media since he took office in June – el-Sissi insists all his actions were to combat militancy and save the country from civil war. He said Egypt is a model for fighting terrorism and that the U.S.-led coalition to fight the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria should take note.
“More than a year ago, I warned that the region was heading to great danger from extremist thought,” he said. “It didn’t receive proper attention until the events in Iraq took place and the Islamic State swept over the Iraqi-Syrian borders.”
His approach, however, has raised concerns over the potential for democracy in Egypt.
El-Sissi and his supporters effectively group the Muslim Brotherhood – an organization that won repeated elections over the past three years – as equivalent to hard-line militant groups wreaking havoc from Libya to Iraq. They accuse the Brotherhood of being behind violence in Egypt. The Brotherhood denies that, saying it is merely an excuse for el-Sissi to wipe out a political rival. Secular activists say the government uses the fight against terrorism as a reason to silence any criticism.
El-Sissi makes his first visit to the United States as president to attend the U.N. General Assembly in the coming week. So far there are no plans for talks with President Barack Obama.
El-Sissi said he is ready to help the U.S.-led coalition. Asked if Egypt might provide airspace access or logistical support for airstrikes, he said, “We are completely committed to giving support. We will do whatever is required.”
But he appeared to rule out sending troops, saying Iraq’s military is strong enough to fight the militants and that “it’s not a matter of ground troops from abroad.”
Most importantly, he said, extremism across the region must be tackled – not just the Islamic State. He warned that the greatest danger came from foreign fighters flooding into the region’s conflicts, saying they will eventually return to their home countries – including in Europe – and spread extremism there. He said they “must be prevented” from entering the region.
El-Sissi said Egyptians set an example for the region, saying they had supported the Brotherhood and elected them to power but then turned against them after Mohammed Morsi’s year in office. He said Egyptians realized that the idea of political Islam advocated by the Brotherhood “won’t work in Egypt.” Millions joined protests against Morsi, leading to his ouster.
If he had not stepped in to remove Morsi and the Brotherhood, Egypt “would be like all the countries that now suffer from widespread violence, internal conflicts and civil wars,” he said, referring to Syria, Libya and Iraq.
The author is delusional to even bring that up at this point. What the middle east needs is what we destroyed, a stable system of relatively benign dictators.
The guy is pro West. These days that’s a step in the right direction.
Too bad for Obama, he ousted the group Obama gets his advisers from.
Yeah, what the writer thinks we need a Jimmy Carter type to fix things like he did in Iran.
These fools can never seem to grasp things don’t work in the Middle-East like they do in the U. S.
100% agree.
Fascinating line in the sand. MoBros political Islam is a nogo in Egypt. What does Morsi’s bro Barry think? Friend or foe? Play through or walk like an Egyptian out of the ME sand trap?
That isn't going to go over very well with Turkey but obviously is fine with the Saudis who are giving Sisi all they money he'll take both above board as aid and under the table to go directly to the military.
That means at some point Turkey and the Saudis will have a falling out which will free Iran to go after the Saudis the way they've wanted to ever since the Islamist animals overthrew the Shah with the help of Jimmy Carter (were the initials "J C" every more ironic for someone who claims to be Christian ?).
Good for Egypt and El-Sissi!! OUR sissy could learn from him.
We should have supported Mubarak. It was extremely stupid to support the supposed, “Arab Spring”.
Now, that El Sissi has put humpty dumpty back together, we should learn from our past mistakes and support him now.
It was also extremely ILLEGAL. Hussein declared covert war and overthrew 2 sovereign nations, and our Sworn Defenders Upholders and Protectors, were too busy polishing their golden parachutes to give a damn!
Fortunately Obama can't do much to subvert him now. El Sissi knows that Obama is his enemy. It looks to me like Soros' plan was to surround Israel with ultra-violent Mohammedan extremists. Soros had accomplished it in Egypt, and may be on the verge of overthrowing Assad.
This is, of course, just total nonsense. General Sissi is exactly what Egypt needs. If you want to see Democracy at work in Egypt just take a look at this 2013 photo. Democracy is alive and well in Egypt. The rest of the Middle East should be so lucky.
Protesters take part in a protest demanding that Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy resign at Tahrir Square in Cairo on July 1, 2013.
Rand Slams Congress for Funding Egypt's Generals: 'How Does Your Conscience Feel Now?'Sen. Rand Paul is hammering his fellow senators for keeping billions in financial aid flowing to Egypt's military -- even as Cairo's security forces massacre anti-government activists. [by "anti-government activists" is meant church-burning Christian-murdering jihadists][Posted on 08/15/2013 5:44:10 PM PDT by Hoodat]
Thanks GonzoII.
El-Sissi said Egyptians set an example for the region, saying they had supported the Brotherhood and elected them to power but then turned against them after Mohammed Morsi’s year in office. He said Egyptians realized that the idea of political Islam advocated by the Brotherhood “won’t work in Egypt.” Millions joined protests against Morsi, leading to his ouster.If he had not stepped in to remove Morsi and the Brotherhood, Egypt “would be like all the countries that now suffer from widespread violence, internal conflicts and civil wars,” he said, referring to Syria, Libya and Iraq.
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