By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, June 10 -- Parallel to Hillary Clinton's book-signing in Union Square in Manhattan, the White House issued a read-out that “President Obama called Egyptian President Abdelfattah al-Sisi today to congratulate him on his inauguration and to convey his... continuing support for the political, economic, and social aspirations of the Egyptian people, and respect for their universal rights.”
Whether this last was an oblique reference to the journalists locked up was not entirely clear. In Hillary Clinton's book “Hard Choice” she recounts when her envoy Frank Wisner said at the Munich Security Conference that Hosni Mubarak “must stay in office” to oversee a transition.
She writes that Obama “called me to express his unhappiness about the ‘mixed messages’ we were sending. That’s a diplomatic way of saying he took me to the woodshed.”
Now it's Robert Ford, chiding Obama for not yet giving surface to air missiles or MANPADS to the Syrian opposition -- when even the UN says the Free Syrian Army recruit child soldiers, and depicts the FSA displacing tens of thousands of civilians.
At the June 10 US State Department briefing, this connector:
Question: Thirteen Syrian opposition members or members from the Syrian opposition imprisoned today in Egypt because they were demonstrating against President Assad. Do you have anything on this?
Ms. Psaki: I haven’t seen the specifics of that, Michel. Obviously, as you know, we have concerns about what’s happening with the judicial system in Egypt. We make those concerns known. I will note also that Ambassador David Thorne and Counselor Tom Shannon will be having meetings with senior Egyptian officials that start today and will resume tomorrow. This visit will bring – will build upon Ambassador Thorne and Counselor Shannon’s last visit to Cairo in April, as well as their earlier visits to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
Some line up. Hillary is hitting road, in a bus that says don't text and drive. How far will this book take her? Watch this site.
Footnote: At the Barnes & Nobles in Union Square, the press was told it could only stay for the first 20 minutes of the two hour event; if journalists left to use the bathroom they could not return. Those buying the book were told, "Once you are cleared and enter the 4th floor, you are not permitted to exit until your book is signed." No second thoughts? Hard Choices..
