Good News: Obama Administration Tells Egyptian Military to Cede Power to Islamists or Face Withdrawal of Funding

I forget, is it still the "Arab Spring"?

Worried US tells Egypt's military to cede power

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration warned Egypt's military leaders on Monday to speedily hand over power or risk losing billions of dollars in U.S. military and economic aid to the country.

As Egypt's Islamist candidate claimed victory in a presidential run-off, Pentagon and State Department officials expressed concern with a last-minute decree by Egypt's ruling military council giving itself sweeping authority to maintain its grip on power and subordinate the nominal head of state. The move followed last week's dissolution of parliament by an Egyptian court.

"This is a critical moment in Egypt, and the world is watching closely," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. "We are particularly concerned by decisions that appear to prolong the military's hold on power."

...Nuland said Egypt's military authorities need to "restore popular and international confidence in the democratic transition process" by ensuring an inclusive constitution-writing process, a democratically elected parliament and a swift handover of power to a civilian government.

I'm no historian, but would guess that -- for any given state or region -- an election that leaves Islamists in power is pretty much the last election that will get held.

And, as an aside, it turns out that Pamela Geller was right all along.

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