U.S., allies were near a deal for peaceful end to Egypt crisis- Military rejected it

[cali]

Two weeks before the bloody crackdown in Cairo, the Obama administration, working with European and Persian Gulf allies, believed it was close to a deal to have Islamist supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi disband street encampments in return for a pledge of nonviolence from Egypt’s interim authorities.

But the military-backed government rejected the deal and ordered its security forces to break up the protests, a decision that has resulted in hundreds of deaths and street clashes that continued Friday in the capital.

Two weeks before the bloody crackdown in Cairo, the Obama administration, working with European and Persian Gulf allies, believed it was close to a deal to have Islamist supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi disband street encampments in return for a pledge of nonviolence from Egypt’s interim authorities.

But the military-backed government rejected the deal and ordered its security forces to break up the protests, a decision that has resulted in hundreds of deaths and street clashes that continued Friday in the capital.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-allies-were-near-a-deal-for-peaceful-end-to-egypt-crisis/2013/08/16/6e2ab46e-0686-11e3-88d6-d5795fab4637_story.html

[pampango]

1. Nice find, Cali.

The failed proposal represented the most intensive U.S. involvement to try to avert bloodshed, and demonstrates the new limits of U.S. influence over both the military and Islamists backing Morsi. Both sides have harshly criticized Washington, and each has accused President Obama of backing its opponent.

For weeks before Wednesday’s government crackdown, Secretary of State John F. Kerry or Burns spoke nearly every day with the foreign ministers of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, whose influence with the opposing sides in Egypt was often stronger than Washington’s.

The two small, rich Gulf nations play outsize roles in regional foreign policy and tend to back different sides in Mideast conflicts. Along with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the two Gulf states are sending more money to Cairo than the United States is, several officials involved in the effort said.

Throughout the six-week crisis, the United States has leaned on the UAE to intercede with the interim government and the Egyptian military, and used Qatar as a go-between with the Muslim Brotherhood. Qatar, which has backed Islamist movements and is accused of backing militants in Syria, has emerged as a leading international backer of the Brotherhood.

[cali]

2. thanks.

pretty depressing stuff.

I guess the questions I have now, are will the violence continue for a sustained period of time, and how will what is transpiring effect the region.

[customerserviceguy]

3. Every time the Egyptian military has gone up against the Muslim Brotherhood

they've won. Why would anyone expect them to agree to a tie?

[cali]

5. They're mass murderers. I expect less from them even then the MB

[customerserviceguy]

6. On the other hand

for thirty years, they've not gone to war with Israel, as long as the bribe money from the Camp David Accords kept flowing. Now Congress wants to dry up that source of funding, is it any wonder they feel threatened by the MB?

If there's one lesson Jimmy Carter taught us, is that there are two kinds of Muslims, those who can be counted on to do what they say they will do for money, and those for whom religion is their main motivator. I know which kind I find easier to live with.

[liberal_at_heart]

4. There's no way the military is giving up its power.