A look at mob actions in Libya, Egypt

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Bolivia's new president issuing an apology for yesterday's outrageous attack on the US consulate there.

Offering condolences for the deaths of four Americans including the US ambassador in vowing to bring the culprits to justice a lot of what we heard as well acted by our own officials here at home.

Robin Wright is a distinguished scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center she's also the editor.

-- new book its upcoming Islamist.

Are coming who they really are that's the title of the book and Robin before we start our condolences we know that you were friends with ambassador Stevens for more than 25 years.

And our hearts go out to you in his family really a loss for it for the entire country.

He's a loss for the united United States because he was such a caring diplomat he knew the streets.

As well as the -- he spoke the language he understood the culture.

India also appreciated this extraordinary transition across the Middle East and what was involved in trying to help stabilize it.

And change relations -- -- hostile in the case of Libya for forty years so he's a loss to the Libyan people as well.

You know we're gonna talk a little bit about -- -- and then I wanna talk to about Egypt because we see these two events happening.

At embassies in both of these countries first to Libya though we hear about this in at this call from justice from our own officials from the Libyan officials.

How do you interpret that what does that really mean and and it what should be done.

To be constructive.

Well I think did this is the test for the new -- law and Libya and the challenge will be fighting those who are responsible for putting them on trial.

And producing a kind of just response.

To this travesty.

In a way that is rational within -- -- did cram -- of a new constitution.

A new system.

To show that Libya is capable of being a democracy and a just society.

And so what it what are the stakes there.

Was stakes are huge because.

The United States has been trying to play a role in stabilizing Libya.

To deal with issues of disarming the -- is finding help in finding that employment.

Creating an economy that -- absorbed its people and address the injustices of the past and of course this will be jeopardized because.

Foreign investors will be dubious about going in if there are basic security issues if the United States embassy's diplomatic outposts.

Are under threat.

And that's also situation -- -- his her that there is is big business conference there that was taking place.

Trying to increase investment into Egypt yet mean.

Government there and then you have this -- -- some video of that happening Cairo yesterday.

What what's your take we talked to a lot about Egypt with the new government the transition of what's your take of what happened there yesterday.

Well they're a group of ultra conservatives.

Calls all of -- who have emerged and re define the political spectrum in Egypt.

They they want to take society in the 21 century back to the way of life in the seventh century.

And they were offended by this.

Video clip showing obscene acts.

Or inappropriate acts.

And and this was very offensive to them and so they mobilized to protest now.

One thinks we should understand is that this is not reflect the majority of the Egyptian people and more than what happened in Libya reflected the majority of Libyan sentiment.

That we're talking in a country of 85 million people only about 2000 Egyptian showed up the American Embassy but it happened on 9/11.

It was reminiscent of what -- happen in 1979 to take over the US embassy in Iran.

And so it is hauntingly -- And of course casts a very.

Negative spell on what the US is able to do in Egypt next.

You talk about this being a fringe group and it just -- kind of bringing some broader perspective here over the last couple months we've -- -- secretary stayed in Egypt.

Yes and protesters throwing things at her a while she's there yelling things we see the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood go to -- Iran and and visit Iran for the first time since 1979.

And then we see this happen we have a billion dollars in aid going to this country.

What what do you think about that is -- something that congress should take up when it comes to policy.

How should we approached this in and just the context overall for which this took place.

-- The one point three billion dollars in aid to Egypt goes for the military when it comes to development it's comparatively small 250 million although.

That the US is working and other ways to help stabilize -- Egyptian economy.

Let's also remember that the Egyptian president.

Went to Tehran and condemned the Syrian leadership and said it was time for president Assad to step down that he's worked closely with the Israelis and try to stabilize the Sinai.

And that the Muslim Brotherhood was not involved in these protests.

And so we need to understand that there are different types of Islamist groups in the Middle East.

We can't lump them all together.

In in you know the mother brother who was not in the streets outside the American Embassy -- was -- this group of ultra conservatives.

An extremist radicals.

Who.

Oppose US the US presence and are sensitive about.

This.

Film that are fortunate I had get easiest statement from the Muslim -- condemning this protest.

I have I've been doing shows this morning I haven't seen I everything has come out of Egypt.

But you know -- clearly the Egyptian government needs to do more both in providing security to the American Embassy.

And getting out in a way to Libyan government has in condemning this act.

-- Deep regret and credibility and we haven't seen one as well that's life.

I and mention at -- and thank you for the prospectus today we always appreciate your expertise thank you very much thank you.

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A look at mob actions in Libya, Egypt

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