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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.
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.
It was not clear who the protesters were or what political affiliations they had.
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.
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."
"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."
"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.
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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 |