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'On the Record' panelists examine the mixed signals President Obama sent with recent comments
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Since President Obama -- first one and strain and the question.
Is Egypt our ally.
Yesterday President Obama accusing governor Romney of -- -- -- -- first -- named later but now President Obama has a controversy.
He says the US does not consider Egypt an ally as you might imagine that coming exploded all over the president in the White House and quickly -- to walk back the president's comment.
And that created more up more controversy and tonight.
As a protest continued Egypt knowing how Washington can seem to agree on the correct response to the Egypt -- -- -- our allies or not curious our political panel Washington examiner chief political correspondent Byron York.
Associated Press next -- political reporter Casey -- And time magazine deputy Washington bureau chief Michael Crowley Byron.
Is he -- our ally.
Well -- formally our our ally it was incorrect to the president has to say this there's something called a non NATO ally so -- wrong and had to walk it back on the other hand.
-- sometimes doesn't feel like an -- these days I'm not sure a lot of people heard that thought oh my god if you weren't involved in diplomacy.
And yet on one other hand.
You know when Mitt Romney travel to England and mildly offended and ally.
Talking about British preparation for the Olympics it was a huge uproar so.
-- -- I'm running problem with the Obama getting -- This -- Well the situation on the ground in Egypt has changed so fast I mean this was a country that was has been very staunch ally of ours for decades and we've.
Worked with vanity in great depth on many of the greatest crises that we face he's changed so quickly and instead of having an authoritarian regime there that we could.
You know essentially.
We knew basically what they were going to do if they said that they were gonna do something now all of a sudden you're dealing -- -- -- very new elected government that is doing things that you know sometimes are back and forth.
-- -- -- -- -- we are looking live at Cairo it's not for a 42 in the morning and very turbulent there might go on the issue of whether an ally or not I suspect that day Egypt will use that against us.
And against Israel that whole concept.
But whether or not there now I.
Right well that's what's tricky about the situation what the president said happens to be true it's not official US policy so.
I -- definitely wavered from what our official policy hasn't -- Probably should have said that scans.
We give Egypt about two billion dollars a year in foreign -- a lot of -- military aid it's an alliance we would like to maintain I think the sinking in Washington right now is.
I keep them close you know keep your friends close you're enemies closer they may not be an enemy but we want to keep -- close what it means in this military ties is the military that's moderate.
So but the question is what will be the reaction in the in Cairo to those statements and I think the big point here is that while Tripoli was the scarier more violent more tragic event.
I think Egypt is the potentially larger strategic problem for United States is now.
Is it this again then this.
This I'm turning -- is -- crippling this fumbling of this issue but is it a gap -- no consequence our gas went are now it's gonna.
Field of controversy.
I've given all the other events I don't think it has a huge consequences State Department the White House paper this over I don't think it has a huge consequence but -- I -- quitting because I think I think Egypt the Muslim Brothers looking for a reason -- do do what I do whatever -- -- to create problems with Israel.
And I think that they had to choose -- gives us a while we're not ally well you know actually bring him raises a question on Twitter today suggesting you know wonderful Obama said this.
To avoid really.
Praising.
A country in which are really angry mob storming US -- is right now so again emphasizing our alliance.
With Egypt is it is it just doesn't seem quite right right now yeah.
This underscored how unpredictable the situation is for President Obama -- a lot of people jumped on Mitt Romney when he made the statement a couple of days ago but you know the Fed the folks who work.
It's looking at -- from the other angle or basically saying well you know we don't know how this crisis is gonna unfold and Obama is the president worked two months out.
From an election you know it could swing the other way for him I guess about the movie pounds -- -- -- CNN well at some parts of the trailer and hard to watch -- it's ridiculous I mean it's like you drank spoiled milk in your started hallucinating or something it's so bad I can't believe anyone is taking it seriously.
CNBC well just the trailer I'm -- thing that origins of this movie are really fishy and need more.
Reporting because scene the the guy who originally said he was an Israeli and his.
He got all this money from Jewish -- -- because they hate Islam.
And that's not the case that's not how this movie got made it appears.
That -- could have been made by an Egyptian.
And did indeed maybe -- -- but to -- shot right now so it's it's a very.
Mysterious thing right now.
And you have to remember -- and it's being used to explain what's going on both in Cairo and also what happened in the Gaza in those two situations on the ground if you look to serve the reporting that's come out.
Of those two countries -- there's been very different moods in both places and you know there's some folks.
Who have been in -- for a long time you know referred to the ambassador there -- it was very well known who.
You know many Libyans actually were embracing and that you know the attitude there was was attacked very different.
But I think the most important thing take away the content movie may be offensive to some people but the conditions are there any Arab world right now there's brewing American -- anti Americanism and people trying to stirred up.
That's important -- yes -- -- and that's what we need to understand better.
-- around we have much more.
