By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 22 -- When US Secretary of State John Kerry took questions with Egypt's foreign minister Shoukri in Cairo on June 22, Kerry was asked about the journalists including from Al Jazeera still locked up in Egypt.
Kerry said he had specifically spoken with President Al-Sisi about the Al Jazeera journalist, but that it would more appropriate for Sisi to talk about it. He emphasized that Sisi has only been president for ten days. But hasn't Sisi said, clearly, there will be no Muslim Brotherhood during his tenure?
An Egyptian journalist from Al Ahram Al Arabi asked Kerry why the US is dictating to Egypt, and withholding Apache helicopters. Kerry replied that Congress has a right to see where taxpayer dollars go, and that he had spoke to Senator Leahy from Cairo, and the Apache should be arriving soon. We'll see.
The two were asked if the situations in Libya and Iraq aren't the result of US intervention. Kerry asked Shoukry, do you want to go first?
When it was his turn, Kerry said that in Libya “a dictator was attacking his own people, was threatening to go door to door to kill them like dogs.” He said “the UN” joined together in a resolution that “they would have a mission to try to protect those people.”
After that, Kerry said, it was the Libyans themselves overthrowing - and killing - Gaddafi.
But Kerry did NOT mention for example France air-dropping weapons into the Nafusa mountains. And so it goes. Kerry's trip continues including Jordan, Brussels and Paris.
Footnote: While in background briefing on the way to Cairothe release of Al Jazeera journalist Shami was emphasized, along with many others the Free UN Coalition for Accesswonders about the others, including Peter Greste, click here. Watch this site.
