Bret Baier interviewed Egypt’s President el-Sisi today and asked him if he’s getting enough help from the US, suggesting that some in Egypt are frustrated by the lack of support they’ve gotten since the US cut off military weapons to Egypt after Morsi was removed from power. El-Sisi was candid, saying that though the US has been very helpful of Egypt over the past 30 years, they really need help now, especially military, in their war against ISIS and the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sisi says they are in dire need.
What I thought said it all was the response of Sisi to Baier’s question of what he and and other Arab countries (US allies) think of US leadership in the region. If you watch the video, you’ll see Sisi give this big sigh as he’s thinking of how to answer this question. And for the first time in the interview, he gives his initial response in English: “Difficult questions“.
He then explains that when the US cut Egypt off from equipment and arms after the overthrow of Morsi, it basically told the Egyptians that the US was not standing with them any longer. Sisi said they had hoped the US would just take time to understand, emphasizing this was the will of the Egyptian people. But the flow of equipment and arms has not been the same since.
Watch:
(I’ve cued it up to 3:20 but the big sign doesn’t come until after 4:35)