Trump Welcomes Egypt's Pinochet at White House

by Stephen Lendman

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is an illegitimate president, usurping power illegally. A brutal despot, he's a US War College graduate, maintaining close Pentagon ties.

He rules by iron-fisted brute force. Democracy is pure fantasy. Sweeping crackdowns continue against opposition elements opposing his viciousness.

He's Washington's man in Cairo, complicit with the Obama administration in manipulating Hosni Mubarak's ouster - followed by toppling elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, imprisoned on false charges.

State terrorism is official policy. A climate of fear exists, including mass arrests, disappearances, torture and mass murder.

Muslim Brotherhood members, human rights activists, academics, union heads, independent journalists, student activists, and other suspected regime opponents are targeted.

From the White House with el-Sisi, Trump said "(w)e agree on so many things."

"I just want to let everybody know in case there was any doubt that we are very much behind President el-Sisi." 

"He's done a fantastic job in a very difficult situation. We are very much behind Egypt and the people of Egypt. The United States has, believe me, backing, and we have strong backing."

Separately, he tweeted: "It was an honor to welcome President Al Sisi of Egypt to the @WhiteHouse as we renew the historic partnership between the US and Egypt."

Thousands of Egyptian political prisoners languish under horrific gulag conditions. Many face death sentences pronounced by regime rubber-stamp courts.

Egypt is America's second largest recipient of foreign aid after Israel. El-Sisi came for more. Egypt's economy is troubled, beset by double-digit inflation and high unemployment.

Carnegie Middle East program director Michele Dunne said Trump can't increase military and/or economic aid to Egypt, given foreign aid cuts in his America First agenda.

El-Sisi claims he's on "the frontlines of the global war against terrorism," ignoring what's state-sponsored against his own people.

On March 30, Egyptian Army Chief of Staff General Mahmoud Hegazy met with Deputy US European Command General Michael Garrett to discuss military cooperation. 

A Egyptian military statement said the meeting focused on continuing coordination and strengthening ties "in a way that serves the mutual interests" of both countries.

El-Sisi likely stressed this policy in discussions with Trump. He's unlikely to get him to order the Muslim Brotherhood declared a US-designated terrorist organization. An internal State Department memo advised against it.

He's increasingly unpopular at home. Coup d'etat authority has no legitimacy. Egypt is one of many rogue states Washington supports, its high crimes ignored.

One fascist regime supports another.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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