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Africa North
Egyptians pelt Clinton motorcade with tomatoes
2012-07-16
CAIRO (Reuters) - Protesters threw tomatoes and shoes at U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's motorcade on Sunday during her first visit to Egypt since the election of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.
This is what happens, Hillary, when you stand with corrupt generals and nutcase Islamicists instead of standing with American principles...
A tomato struck an Egyptian official in the face, and shoes and a water bottle landed near the armoured cars carrying Clinton's delegation in the port city of Alexandria.

A senior state department official said that neither Clinton nor her vehicle, which were around the corner from the incident, were struck by any of the projectiles.

Protesters chanted: "Monica, Monica", a reference to Former President Bill Clinton's extra-marital affair.
Ruder, but clever...
Some chanted: "leave, Clinton", Egyptian security officials said.

It was not clear who the protesters were or what political affiliations they had.
But their message was clear...
Protesters outside Clinton's hotel on Saturday night chanted anti-Islamist slogans, accusing the United States of backing the Muslim Brotherhood's rise to power.

The assault on her motorcade came on a day Clinton spoke at the newly re-opened U.S. consulate in Alexandria, addressing accusations the United States, which had long supported former President Hosni Mubarak, of backing one faction or another in Egypt following his ouster last year.

"I want to be clear that the United States is not in the business, in Egypt, of choosing winners and losers, even if we could, which of course we cannot," Clinton said.
That does seem to be contrary to most known history of the last fifty years...
Clinton also met the country's top general, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, on Sunday to discuss Egypt's turbulent democratic transition as the military wrestles for influence with the new president. The meeting came a day after she met Mursi, whose powers were clipped by the military days before he took office.

In their hour-long meeting, Clinton and Tantawi discussed Egypt's political transition and the military's "ongoing dialogue with President Mursi," a U.S. official travelling with Clinton said in an email brief.

"Tantawi stressed that this is what Egyptians need most now - help getting the economy back on track," the official said.

Clinton "stressed the importance of protecting the rights of all Egyptians, including women and minorities".

The talks also touched on the increasingly lawless Sinai region and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Speaking after the meeting, Tantawi said the army respected the presidency but would not be deterred from its role of "protecting" Egypt.

"The armed forces and the army council respects legislative and executive authorities," he said in a speech to troops in the city of Ismailia. "The armed forces would not allow anyone to discourage it from its role in protecting Egypt and its people."
In other words, he listened politely to the infidel woman and then shooed her away so as to get on with more important business...
During her speech, Clinton said: "When we talk about supporting democracy, we mean real democracy."

"To us real democracy means that every citizen has the right to live, work and worship as they choose, whether they are man or woman, Christian or Muslim."

"Real democracy means that no group or faction or leader can impose their will, their ideology, their religion, their desires on anyone else."
You can see how that's not going to work either with Tantawi or with Mursi...
That was a message she is likely to have repeated in meetings on Sunday with women and Christians, both groups that correctly fear their rights may be curtailed under a Muslim Brotherhood-dominated government.

"She wanted, in very, very clear terms, particularly with the Christian group this morning, to dispel that notion and to make clear that only Egyptians can choose their leaders, that we have not supported any candidate, any party, and we will not," a senior U.S. official told reporters.
Which pretty much means the Copts are on their own.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  Egypt no longer exists. It was overtaken my Muslims long ago.
Posted by: gorb   2012-07-16 23:31  

#7  Somewhere, the ghost of Richard Nixon smiles...
Posted by: Pappy   2012-07-16 14:38  

#6  One would think that after 3000 years they would have something more to show for it.
Posted by: SteveS   2012-07-16 13:46  

#5  Egypt as a nation has existed well before the time of Christ. Some reports indicate it age reaches back as far as 3000 years. Appears they have survived quite handily without our incessant political meddling for most, or least 2700 or so of those 3000 years. I would suggest we permit them to continue without it.
Posted by: Besoeker   2012-07-16 10:54  

#4  Did this just officially smoke Hillary! as a VP choice?
Posted by: swksvolFF   2012-07-16 10:37  

#3  What tourist will ever want to go to Egypt

What business will ever want to invest in Epypt.
Posted by: lord garth   2012-07-16 09:41  

#2  "Real democracy means that no group or faction or leader can impose their will, their ideology, their religion, their desires on anyone else."

The obvious work-around is of course....Presidential Executive Order (EO).
Posted by: Besoeker   2012-07-16 09:26  

#1  Clinton said: "When we talk about supporting democracy, we mean real democracy."

Like we have in the US, where the duly-elected Lightbringer can void years of law and the expressed will of the people with the stroke of a pen.

Because it's better for us, or that only subset of 'us' about which he cares - Dem voters.
Posted by: Bobby   2012-07-16 05:54  

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