Washington, D.C. – Today Egypt’s commander of the armed forces, Gen. Abdul Fattah el-Sisi, announced that President Mohamed Morsi has been removed from office and that Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court Maher El-Beheiry will serve as the interim president until new presidential and parliamentary elections can be held. Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, released the following statement:
The ouster of Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi represents another pivotal turning point in that country’s complicated political transition, and the United States needs to react pragmatically, keeping focused on practical steps that advance both its national security interests and values.
Now that this move has been taken, Egypt will require support to build a more functional political system that responds to the pressing economic and security challenges that have emerged. As Egypt moves ahead through the next phase of its transition with a more inclusive and responsive approach to governance, the United States needs a balanced approach that seeks to manage the change in Egypt. In the last two years, the Obama administration has placed a strong focus on advancing America’s security interests in the region, but in the next phase of Egypt’s transition, it should do more to make clear that supporting democratic values in Egypt is just as vital to America.
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