Three Tea Party-supported Republican lawmakers thanked the Egyptian military for both the July 3 overthrow of former President Mohammed Morsi and crackdowns on protesters in the chaotic weeks that followed in a video released Saturday.
The video, published Saturday, was apparently recorded a few hours after Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Steve King (R-IA) and Louie Gohmert (R-TX) met with Egyptian military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi over the weekend, according to the Washington Post.
“I want to assure the people of Egypt that I, as a member of Congress, will stand strong in support of continuing military support, United States support financially, to stand for the military in Egypt,” said Bachmann, who led the remarks. “We know that you have been a partner. You’ve been a partner in the war on terrorism. You’ve acted bravely here on the front lines.”
Bachmann went on to suggest that the Muslim Brotherhood, the party of the former Egyptian president, was responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
“We have seen the threat that the Muslim Brotherhood has posed, here, for the people of Egypt. We’ve seen the threat that the Muslim Brotherhood posed around the world,” she continued. “We stand against this great evil. We remember who caused nine-one-one in America. We remember who it was that killed 3,000 brave Americans. We have not forgotten. We know that you have dealt with that enemy as well.”
The Republican lawmakers’ effusive praise contrasted the Obama administration’s cautious position on Egypt’s interim government. While the president and his staff have not described the transition of power in Egypt as a “coup,” administration officials have weighed suspending aid to that country in the wake of bloody crackdowns on civilian protests.
