Question:
The United States is still hesitant to describe what happened in Egypt as a coup; rather, it encourages the "road map" announced by the new temporary government. A U.S. State Department spokeswoman stated: "The fact that the interim authority is drawing up a road map for the next phase is encouraging," as reported by Al Jazeera Net on 11/07/2013. Jen Psaki, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, stated on 12/07/2013 that the rule of the deposed President Mohamed Morsi "was not democratic," as reported in the Egyptian Youm7. Similarly, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters yesterday, 11/07/2013, as reported by Al Jazeera Net: "We are evaluating how the authorities act and how they handle the current situation," in reference to what the Minister of Defense and Army Commander in Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, announced on 03/07/2013 regarding the removal of Mohamed Morsi and the appointment of Adly Mansour, head of the Constitutional Court, as a transitional president... So, what made America turn against Morsi, even though it had supported him since the beginning of his rule? Why has America not called what happened a "coup" and is still "evaluating" until today? And what could result from all of this?
Answer:
The answer becomes clear by reviewing the following points:
When the presidential elections took place last year, with the first round on May 23-24, 2012, Morsi was unable to win outright, as votes were distributed among several candidates. The second round took place on June 16-17, 2012, and Morsi was announced the winner with 51.73%, approximately 13 million votes, against Ahmed Shafiq, who received 48.27%, approximately 12 million votes. This means that nearly half of those who participated in the voting did not want Morsi as their president and preferred one of the men of the former regime against which they had revolted. It is worth noting that the announcement of the presidential election results was delayed, indicating that something was happening behind the scenes. Subsequently, it was decided in Morsi's favor by announcing his victory over Ahmed Shafiq after Morsi provided assurances to the Americans that he would adhere to the treaties and agreements concluded by the previous regime, foremost of which is the Camp David Accords. For America, this is a crucial matter, as evidenced by previous and subsequent American statements. The American ambassador stated to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai, published on 30/11/2012: "The United States is committed to the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel and considers it critical for peace and stability in the region and prosperity primarily for the people of Egypt and Israel. We also consider this treaty the basis for efforts to make peace and stability in the entire region. Of course, we were pleased that the government of Egypt has repeatedly expressed that it will respect all of Egypt's international obligations." She added: "We encourage Egypt and Israel to continue their direct discussions about the security situation in Sinai and other issues of common interest, and we emphasize that security in Sinai is the most important thing first and foremost." This indicates that the Egyptian regime's campaign for months against the armed movements that advocate Jihad against the enemy was backed by America and the Jewish entity.
Therefore, America supported him and worked to keep him in his seat. Among the first fruits of his realization of American interests and the security of the Jews was what he did to achieve a ceasefire between the Jewish entity and the Hamas government in Gaza. It was an effective ceasefire to the extent that Hamas, at that time, placed some of its elements on the border with the Jewish entity to prevent any violations or shots fired at the Jewish entity! America heaped praise on him for what Morsi did in implementing its policy regarding the Gaza issue. America also supported him during the incident of the constitutional decree related to shielding his decisions from the judiciary. At that time, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland defended the Egyptian president, saying: "The president has entered into discussions with the judiciary and other stakeholders, and I think we do not know yet what the results of that will be, but the situation here is completely far from the image of someone who is dictatorial and says it is either my way or nothing." (Middle East News Agency, 27/11/2012). This means Nuland denied the claims of the protesters who described President Morsi as a dictator or the "new Pharaoh of Egypt" and defended him and the decisions he took. America also supported him in consolidating leadership in the country; he removed some army leaders, headed by the Minister of Defense and Army Commander Hussein Tantawi and Chief of Staff Sami Anan, as Morsi issued a constitutional decree regarding that, which did not meet with much opposition. Then America supported him on the issue of the constitution. Spokeswoman Nuland stated: "Mrs. Clinton, during her visit to Cairo and her meeting with Egyptian President Morsi, spoke about the importance of issuing a constitution that protects all the rights of all Egyptians." (Asharq Al-Awsat, 27/11/2012). The influence of American policy on Morsi’s rule and his opponents is clear. Thus, the constitution was approved with American approval; it was a "revised" version of the 1971 constitution of the previous regime after a public referendum in which 32.9% participated—meaning one-third of the people who had the right to vote—while two-thirds boycotted it. The result was that 63.8% of that participating third approved it! Thus, the majority of the people were not satisfied with the constitution, the president, or his decisions.
America tried to calm the situation and convince the people of the president, his decisions, and the constitution in order to create stability in the system of government, whose survival it managed to maintain after the revolution. However, the stability it sought from Morsi and the Brotherhood—considering they were the president's party and the largest organized party after the dissolution of the National Democratic Party—did not materialize. America expected them to stabilize the situation as the National Democratic Party had done with the ousted president for 30 years. America cares that Egypt be a center of stability for American influence. The stability intended here is not for Egypt's sake, but so that America can take it as a safe base for its influence and projects. However, things proceeded without stability. What helped aggravate the situation was the confusion within the presidency regarding decision-making, which led to reversals under pressure, as well as acting unilaterally without consulting allies or attempting to convince them, and without gauging public sentiment or preparing public opinion before taking any decision. Chaos and attempts to carry out a revolution against the president continued throughout the year he spent in power.
Then things became turbulent during his long speech on 26/06/2013. Dr. Morsi appeared in a critical position and admitted that he had made mistakes. He did not specify them, but he was referring to the constitutional declaration on 22/11/2012, which provoked the people against him and emboldened them to call for his downfall. In his last speech on 02/07/2013, Mohamed Morsi repeated that he had made mistakes and that some shortcomings had occurred and that he was ready to correct all of that, suggesting that he was open to any compromise. This followed the army's threat to give him a 48-hour ultimatum. This meant that the decision to overthrow him had been settled by the army and whoever is behind the army—meaning America. Note that Morsi was supported by America in making those decisions, but when their counter-results appeared, America abandoned him and let him fall; in fact, it conspired against him, as it does with all its agents who do not learn!
Thus, we saw America abandoning him and disavowing his decisions. The American CNN channel reported on 02/07/2013, quoting senior officials in the American administration, that "the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, Anne Patterson, and other officials in the White House said that the demands raised by the Egyptians in their protests largely coincide with the reforms that Washington and its allies have been demanding for weeks." This is confirmed by what Reuters quoted from a White House statement on 02/07/2013: "President Obama encouraged President Morsi to take steps to clarify that he is responding to the demands of the protesters," and Obama emphasized that "the current crisis can only be resolved through a political process." This means America's abandonment of Morsi and the search for a new political process. The statement did not mention support for the elected Egyptian president, but rather asked him to respond to the demands of the protesters who were demanding the fall of the president! When the coup occurred, it was announced that U.S. President Obama met with his senior advisors at the White House regarding what happened in Egypt. He said afterward: "The Egyptian armed forces should move quickly and responsibly to return full authority to a civilian government as soon as possible." (Reuters, 03/07/2013). Obama did not condemn the coup, nor did he call it a military coup, nor did he demand Morsi's return after his removal, nor did he object to the sentence issued against Morsi's prime minister of one year in prison and removal from office! Instead, he demanded the return of power to a civilian government—meaning a government other than the current one—which indicates that America approves of the coup and the overthrow of Morsi and his government. Indeed, the American administration stated: "He (Morsi) did not listen to the voices of the people or respond to them" (Same source), exactly as the Egyptian army leadership said that "President Mohamed Morsi did not meet the demands of the people." It is well known that the leadership of the Egyptian army is controlled by America, and the majority of American aid, amounting to approximately 1.5 billion annually, goes to the army.
Morsi and the Brotherhood did not realize these matters. Rather, it seems that Dr. Morsi was deceived by American support after he agreed to follow its policies and maintain its interests and the treaties concluded by the Egyptian republican system, especially the Camp David Accords. So, America removed the previous army leaders and brought others into the army and made them cooperate with Morsi. He deluded himself into thinking that America would not abandon him, convinced that America wanted to bring so-called moderate or centrist Islamists to power and remain supportive of them, as is the case in Turkey. He did not realize that America could abandon any agent if he becomes worn out and exhausted, and if he cannot achieve stability in the country's system of rule, and bring someone else to maintain its influence. This is what happened with his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, who was the most loyal of the loyal to America, and it was preparing his son Gamal to inherit him. When the popular movements surprised it, and it found him too weak to handle these movements and restore stability for Egypt to be a suitable environment for the continuation of American interests, it threw him aside, rode the wave of popular movements, and brought Morsi... The matter was repeated with Morsi. When it found him incapable of providing stability for its interests to remain safe and its influence to continue without disturbance, it threw him aside. This matter was not sudden but had been planned for a while. The "Civil Egypt Movement" website—a secular site—reported more than two months ago, specifically on 22/04/2013, under the title "America's conditions for approving the army's intervention in a way that does not appear to be a military coup!". The site mentioned that "a figure whose name we are withholding for now visited the United States during the past few days and returned after conducting a round of intensive meetings and deliberations with influential people in the American administration, the Pentagon, and National Security, where America's position on the Brotherhood's rule was discussed." The site mentioned that "John Kerry, who attended the meeting, spoke about an important role for the Egyptian army in controlling events at the moment the people take to the squares and preventing the outbreak of a civil war between different currents." Kerry then added that he was shocked by the weakness of the Brotherhood's capabilities and their incoherent talk that leads to nothing, and he stressed that he trusts that at the right time, the army will play its role. This figure mentioned: that the talk focused on the alternative to the Brotherhood's rule and the army's status in managing the upcoming transitional process. The site quoted an influential person in the Pentagon who is a member of the American Brookings Institution and attended the meeting as saying: "They reached the conclusion that even if Morsi is convinced that he must leave, or that he will leave whether he likes it or not, his supporters will not accept it. Here the role of the Egyptians comes again, as they must move in large numbers to support the army and demonstrate demanding Morsi's departure." This talk was published on 22/04/2013, more than two months before the coup occurred. It is clear from this that America had orchestrated the coup since that day and wanted to settle matters in this way. The settlement was on 03/07/2013, and America refrained from describing it as a coup; rather, it began issuing vague statements and then progressed to saying it is "evaluating" the situation, and it is still "evaluating," and that Morsi is "undemocratic" and that the interim authority's drawing of a road map is "encouraging," as stated in the question.
Supporters of the deposed president took to the squares to protest. If they continue their protests, increase their momentum and inclusiveness, and win over the general public, this is enough to embarrass the military administration and embarrass America, leading them to respond to the Brotherhood's movement. Especially since they hold winning cards: the president was elected by the people, was recognized by the constitutional court, the military institution, international institutions, America, and all countries, and did not commit any act that warrants his removal by their standards. He reached power through elections whose integrity was recognized and was removed by military force. This gives them strength and legitimacy in their actions and attracts others to them. Those who supported the coup and deposed the president are in an embarrassing position in this regard, as they reject military rule and its interference and insist on the electoral process, yet at the same time, they support change through the military! Therefore, the Brotherhood is capable of toppling the coup and returning to power, or at least having a major influential share in the new situation, especially if they inflame emotions... But if the supporters of the deposed president accept negotiations and concessions... they will suffer a significant loss that they will regret when regret is of no use, and their efforts will have gone in vain in the corridors of politics and lack of awareness of its workings!
We conclude this answer with a factual reality: whoever pleases people by the wrath of Allah, Allah will leave him to the people. His affairs will become turbulent and his relationship with the people will deteriorate; this is observed and felt. Morsi and the Brotherhood tried to please America, so they agreed to its projects and the Camp David Accord, which loses Palestine, weakens Sinai, and recognizes and affirms the Jewish entity that usurped Palestine... Morsi abandoned many of his slogans and announced approval of the republican system and the secular, civil, democratic government. He swore an oath to that when he was inaugurated as president, thus putting Islam and the rule of Islam behind his back—all to please America to stay on a chair with crooked legs. He ended up losing this world and the hereafter, unless he repents and corrects his path. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ spoke the truth:
مَنْ أَرْضَى النَّاسَ بِسَخَطِ اللَّهِ وَكَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى النَّاسِ وَمَنْ أَسْخَطَ النَّاسَ بِرِضَا اللَّهِ كَفَاهُ اللَّهُ مُؤْنَةَ النَّاسِ
"Whoever seeks the pleasure of people by the displeasure of Allah, Allah will leave him to the people, and whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah by the displeasure of people, Allah will suffice him against the trouble of people." (Tirmidhi)
- Finally, we remind that we had previously advised Dr. Morsi twice in two of our leaflets: the first on 25/06/2012 and the second on 13/08/2012. In the first, we said:
"...Then, a sincere advice for the sake of Allah the Almighty we direct to the new president in Egypt: Fear Allah and turn back from calling for a civil, democratic, secular state in thought, method, and inclination. Returning to the truth is a virtue, so that you do not lose the whole world after losing most of it when the Military Council clipped your wings and reduced your powers... and so that you do not lose the hereafter by pleasing America and the West with the declaration of a civil democratic state, and by angering the Lord of America and the West by sitting back from establishing the Khilafah and implementing the Shar' of Allah... No doubt you have read the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
مَنْ أَرْضَى النَّاسَ بِسَخَطِ اللَّهِ وَكَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى النَّاسِ وَمَنْ أَسْخَطَ النَّاسَ بِرِضَا اللَّهِ كَفَاهُ اللَّهُ مُؤْنَةَ النَّاسِ
'Whoever seeks the pleasure of people by the displeasure of Allah, Allah will leave him to the people, and whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah by the displeasure of people, Allah will suffice him against the trouble of people.' (Reported by Tirmidhi and Abu Nu'aym in Al-Hilya from Aisha).
This is sincere advice for the sake of Allah. We do not want from you any reward or thanks, except to prevent the gloating of the disbelievers, their agents, and all the enemies of Islam when they laugh heartily as they hear that their project of a civil democratic state is now being called for by Muslims, the Muslim Brotherhood. To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return."
And we said in the second: "We conclude the statement by repeating the advice to the Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, even if he did not take our first advice... for we will not despair of advising every Muslim, especially if he is involved in ruling. So we follow our first advice with another, saying: even though the American arms extend to the old and new political circles, cutting them off is possible and easy. Realizing the mistake of receiving them once is better than persisting in the mistake of receiving them multiple times. American arms are not benefited by friendliness and closeness... rather, it is the cutting and amputation of these arms, otherwise, it is regret when regret is of no use! The Kinana (Egypt) of Allah in His land is a place of strength and protection, and its history in that is witnessed and counted. Whoever is truly with Allah has triumphed, for the verses of the Wise Remembrance speak of that, and the Egyptian president repeated it in his last speech:
وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
"And Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know." (QS. Yusuf [12]: 21)
Yes, Allah spoke the truth, 'And who is more truthful than Allah in speech.'
O Allah, have we conveyed? O Allah, bear witness... O Allah, have we conveyed? O Allah, bear witness... O Allah, have we conveyed? O Allah, bear witness." End quote.