and perhaps lacking in perception?

Submitted by John in Michigan, USA (United States), Apr 14, 2013 at 21:46

@Gunther H. Sciff:

A common theme in the days of Mubarak was that his state security / police / etc often used US equipment and US training. According to the US center-left / MSM narrative, our support for dictators was supposed to be the only reason why "they" (the Egyptian street) hated us. But suddenly with Obama in office, using US gear to supress dissidents is OK, and we don't have to worry about morality or "blow-back" to paraphrase somebody. I think this might be partly what Dr. Pipes means when he writes about the lack of a moral sense?

In addition to the moral question, there is the symbolism, which stinks. the MB and Salafists are part of the government now; those even more extreme than them do not respond to tear gas. The main group that does is peaceful demonstrators, if any, who are likely to be Morsi's liberal, middle class opposition. Symbolically, the shipment of tear gas implies approval of its use. Pipes is right that US policy should be to oppose the Morsi Islamist regime in whatever ways are currently practical. That does not mean making it easier to crack down on liberal, middle class dissidents who, for the moment at least, are looking to the US and EU to prevent Morsi from becoming President for Life.

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