Thus far, the Obama administration has been careful–and fairly quiet–about its response to events unfolding in Egypt.
The White House has tried to justify its slow reaction, and the administration has been cautious on whether the military takeover should be officially deemed a “coup.”
That designation could jeopardize the $1.3 billion in non-humanitarian aid the United States currently gives to Egypt every year. Under federal law, the U.S. cannot supply non-humanitarian aid to any government installed by a coup.
Connected to the question of what policy steps America should take next is the question of what–if anything–the United States could have done differently to forestall the current turmoil in the first place.
Daniel Kurtzer, former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt and professor of Middle East Policy Studies at Princeton University, joins The Takeaway to discuss the current crisis and his predictions for the future.
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