Egypt Brings New Challenges for U.S. Role in Middle East

The ouster of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and the start of an interim government could offer a new set of complications for the United States and it’s role in the Middle East.
As a strategic partner in the Middle East, the United States will be watching to see how the interim government–and future leadership–maintains its commitment to the 1979 Camp David Accords, the maintenance of open passage ways for U.S. Navy ships through the Suez Canal, and access to oil.
At the same time, the U.S. pours about $1.3 billion in military aid a year. But federal law requires that non-humanitarian aid is cut off if “the government of any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup d’état or decree or, after the date of enactment of this act, a coup d’état or decree in which the military plays a decisive role.”
The Obama administration has been careful not to call yesterday’s event a military coup, but the president did say that he is deeply concerned by the military’s removal of Morsi.
Joining The Takeaway is David Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for our partner The New York Times. Sanger sheds light on the situation in Egypt and how it could affect the United States’ role in the Middle East.