We want democracy overseas except when we don't like that particular version. Sure there were irregularities, but what country doesn't have these. It was the first democratic Presidential election in Egyptian history. The elected President was deposed by the military. As usual, foreign policy is played by the rules of Realpolitik. An Egyptian wrote:
"I understand why so many (namely President Obama) are careful not to call this a coup. Doing so would force America to observe the 2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which bars the US from spending money for any "assistance to the government of any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree, or a coup d'etat that is supported by the military." Still, America's annual $1.3 billion in military aid was quietly funneled to Egypt in May, as it has been every year since 1979.
But whatever we call it, we must acknowledge the basic facts: A president elected in unprecedented free and fair elections was overthrown by an ever-powerful military that took its cues from an unprecedented mobilization of millions of Egyptians challenging his rule.
Egypt's Foreign Minister called U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday to insist that overthrowing Morsi was not a military coup. But in true Egyptian fashion, he got a little carried away.
"There is no role, no political role whatsoever, for the military...This is the total opposite of a military coup," Kamel Amr said."
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