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REPLY TO THREAD
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STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON DEVELOPMENTS IN EGYPT! Fully backs Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi!
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Original Message
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July 8, 2013
[link to www.mccain.senate.gov]
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on developments in Egypt:
“I have been a long-standing and consistent supporter of democracy and human rights in Egypt. I criticized Hosni Mubarak when he abused these values. I called early in February 2011 for Mubarak to give up power and begin a democratic transition when millions of Egyptians rose up to protest their unelected ruler. I fully supported the free and fair elections that brought President Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood-backed political party to power in Egypt. And I spoke out over the past year against the undemocratic practices of the Morsi government.
“I have never favored, and I do not favor, one individual or party over another in Egypt. Who governs Egypt is for the citizens of Egypt to decide. Instead, I continue to stand for democratic values and the creation of effective democratic institutions that can enable the Egyptian people to determine their own future freely and peacefully. I believe the United States must support democracy in Egypt because it is the best foundation for that country's long-term stability and prosperity and for peace and security in the Middle East.
“Once again, Egypt now stands at a crossroads. Regardless of what anyone thinks about Mohamed Morsi, he was elected by a majority of Egyptians last year. At the same time, the Morsi government squandered an opportunity over the past year to further the development of democratic institutions and inclusive governance in Egypt, where the basic freedoms and rights of all Egyptians are enshrined in law and the constitution and guaranteed by the state. This failure of governance had increasingly dire consequences for Egypt's economy and social order.
“I have always said that democracy is about more than elections, and I have consistently urged the Egyptian military to serve as the guarantor of Egyptian democracy and the protector of the Egyptian nation. I understand that the military's removal of Morsi from office was undertaken with broad public support in the name of democracy and could ultimately lead Egypt to a more inclusive and representative civilian government. However, it is difficult for me to conclude that what happened was anything other than a coup in which the military played a decisive role. Current U.S. law is very clear about the implications for our foreign assistance in the aftermath of a military coup against an elected government, and the law offers no ability to waive its provisions. I do not want to suspend our critical assistance to Egypt, but I believe that is the right thing to do at this time.
“This is an incredibly difficult decision, but we have to learn the lessons of history and remain true to our values. If millions of Egyptians come to believe that democracy offers them no opportunity to advance their goals peacefully, it will only fuel violence and extremism. That is a path to civil conflict. Indeed, I am deeply concerned by reports today that Egyptian soldiers fired on hundreds of civilians this morning, killing at least 51 people and wounding more than 300, and by calls from the Muslim Brotherhood for a popular uprising against the military.
“In light of this worsening situation, it is essential for all people and parties in Egypt to refrain from violence and work together immediately to begin a transition back to an elected democratic government. I call on the Muslim Brotherhood to participate in the political process and cease its calls for an uprising against the military. I call on the Egyptian military to protect Mohamed Morsi and his millions of supporters from acts of retribution and other abuses of their rights, including the right to speak freely and demonstrate peacefully. I call on the civilian transitional government headed by President Mansour to move urgently to establish a constitutional and democratic framework that enjoys maximum popular support, that leads to successful elections as soon as possible, and that creates conditions for the resumption of U.S. foreign assistance to Egypt. In the meantime, I encourage the Obama Administration, together with the Congress, to explore creative and lawful means to cooperate with the Egyptian military on a limited basis, perhaps using Department of Defense authorities, to safeguard vital national security interests such as counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, border security, and the maintenance of regional peace.
“I know the Egyptian people are divided over whether the military's removal of Morsi from office represents a restoration of democracy or a violation of democracy. Regardless of this profound disagreement, I nonetheless hope that Egyptians can now look forward for the sake of their country and build a new national consensus in favor of a peaceful democratic future. These are choices and decisions that Egyptians must make for themselves, but the United States can and must continue to support them.”
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