Epstein Secrets

yptian president Mohamed Morsi made mistakes: giving himself immunity from prosecution, refusing to compromise with secular groups. EFTA00706415 Morsi committed mistakes, but they don't justify a military coup. And whatever mistakes were committed do not justify Western countries staying silent ab

ccess of the transition to democracy in Tunisia that we will export to Egypt a working democratic model. Some argue that former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi made mistakes: giving himself immunity from prosecution, refusing to compromise with secular groups. EFTA00706415 Morsi committed mistakes, but

epeatedly reminded the opposition they will not go to Geneva to hand over power to a transitional government. Last week, the US defence secretary, Chuck Hagel, conceded that Washington's approach to Syria is in disarray. Even Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, called on the rebels to "avoid discord

coup and are now running the country. The trip was ill advised for several reasons, starting with its timing. Mr. Kerry arrived one day before Mr. Morsi was to go on trial for murder in a politically motivated case (now postponed until Jan. 8) that had the whole country on edge. Mr. Morsi has been

nk Prime Minister Netanyahu is legitimately concerned, as any prime minister of Israel has been, about the future security needs of their country," Hagel said. Netanyahu, he continued, "has got a history of being very clear on where he is on this." Hagel, now in his ninth month leading the Pentagon,

h many in the U.S. Senate, by the way), so on a visit to the Pentagon late last week, one of the first questions I put to the secretary of defense, Chuck Hagel, was this: Is Netanyahu, in fact, using scare tactics in order to torpedo Iran negotiations? "I think Prime Minister Netanyahu is legitimately con

the way it is being fed by various regional and international powers. I am not making this up. I ave actually heard people say that if we had left Morsi on his seat, swallowed our tongues and did not revolt against Brotherhood rule, we would have averted the evils of terrorism that have been inflict

d. They made a joint appearance before Congress in an attempt to persuade wary legislators that the administration had a policy on Syria. Kerry and Hagel should make this a habit. President Obama's foreign policy is suffering from the widespread perception that military force is not an option. Closer

them as accountable for producing results. Kerry has involved himself in none of those things. 3. Play team sports Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel made a joint appearance at the Munich Security Conference in an attempt to persuade the world that America was not withdrawing from the world. They

e give foreign aid -- supporting the Obama Administration and in particular, Secretary of State John Kerry, traveling to Cairo and handing President Mohamed Morsi of Egypt, a cool $250 million in foreign aid during the current sequestration. Remember, Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood is openly anti-Christian, anti-

rry, traveling to Cairo and handing President Mohamed Morsi of Egypt, a cool $250 million in foreign aid during the current sequestration. Remember, Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood is openly anti-Christian, anti-Semitic and otherwise prolifically intolerant. Just three years ago, Morsi called on Egyptians

o were most wrong on the biggest foreign policy catastrophe in recent memory, the opposition was, to a large extent, actually based on the fact that Hagel had been right about Iraq. Having been in favor of the war initially, Hagel quickly saw it for what it was, and committed the grave error of speaki

banks, and regional institutions. Likewise, the Middle East remains in the early phase of a revolutionary transition. In a year, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi will almost certainly still be in power, but it is not so clear how he will use that power — and what Egypt will look like politically and economic

comfort that US support is still rock-solid. But is it? Mr Obama's nomination of Chuck Hagel to be US defence secretary sends a powerful signal. Mr Hagel has attracted the anger of the Israel lobby for stating the obvious — that the interests of Israel and the US are not one and the same. Mr Netanya

h state, refused to back Israel. EFTA00693056 The Israelis take comfort that US support is still rock-solid. But is it? Mr Obama's nomination of Chuck Hagel to be US defence secretary sends a powerful signal. Mr Hagel has attracted the anger of the Israel lobby for stating the obvious — that the interes

e unchecked. Combined with sheer incompetence in its stewardship of the economy, this destroyed EFTA_R1_00440975 EFTA01964299 the standing of Mr Morsi among ordinary Egyptians. More than 20m people—half the adult population—were said to have signed a petition for a referendum on his presidency. S

longstanding. That is the backdrop for the decision to acquiesce in July's military coup against the Egyptian president, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi. It was a significant foreign policy misstep, EFTA_R1_00440986 EFTA01964310 compounded by the Obama administration's subsequent statements and d

crackdown on the Brotherhood will continue, despite the heartfelt pleas from the White House and the near daily phone calls from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. And one reason is Syria: Egyptian generals can't help but notice that the world has stood idly by as Bashar al-Assad has presided over the deaths

democratic dissidents. When I saw him last week, he was despairing about the disastrous results of Obama's decision to embrace first Mubarak, then Morsi and now Sissi. "Today in Egypt people believe that America is on the side of freedom even less than they did in the time of Mubarak," Sharansky sai

: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has plied Sissi with more than two dozen phone calls since he led a coup against the elected Islamist government of Mohamed Morsi in July, while Kerry has repeatedly endorsed the general's increasingly implausible claim to be building a democracy — as opposed to restoring the

terally with a vengeance. Who are the allies of the United States in Egypt? The Obama administration's judgment is crystal clear: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has plied Sissi with more than two dozen phone calls since he led a coup against the elected Islamist government of Mohamed Morsi in July, while K

close relationship with Sisi, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel failed to convince his Egyptian counterpart to refrain from kwidating protest camps of Morsi supporters in August. The subsequent diplomatic efforts of Sens. John McCain and Lindsay Graham were equally futile. For Egypt's current leaders,

ntagon, the State Department, and the Central Intelligence Agency. Ms. Rice said she briefed Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel over weekly lunches. Some priorities were clear. The election of Hassan Rouhani as president of Iran presents the West with perhaps its last good c

s not succeed him. The corruption allegations levelled by Mr Ahmadinejad against the Larijani family are deeply damaging to the Iranian regime. Mr Morsi, meanwhile, has little to show Egyptians that he has improved their lot. Cairo is the scene of near-constant street battles and the economy is tank

one -- that Iran is a faithless, illegitimate terrorist state that will be deterred from building a bomb only by the threat of massive attack. Had Hagel been foolish enough to suggest that the United States offer to reduce sanctions in exchange for Iranian concessions, the White House would have had

Foreign Relations puts it, "Khamenei has created a politics where it's hard for him to compromise." But so has the United States. Anyone who watched Chuck Hagel's confirmation hearing knows that it is an article of faith in Congress -- and pretty much a bipartisan one -- that Iran is a faithless, illegitimate t

an one -- that Iran is a faithless, illegitimate terrorist state that will be deterred from building a bomb only by the threat of massive attack. Had Hagel been foolish enough to suggest that the United States offer to reduce sanctions in exchange for Iranian concessions, the White House would have had t

oes not succeed him. The corruption allegations levelled by Mr Ahmadinejad against the Larijani family are deeply damaging to the Iranian regime. Mr Morsi, meanwhile, has little to show Egyptians that he has improved their lot. Cairo is the scene of near-constant street battles and the economy is tankin