A Longtime American Ally Is Now Aligning Itself With Iran
So, that relationship should be no surprise to Washington. Analysts say that Iran's Shi'ite form of Islam has more appeal among Egyptian Sunnis than among Sunnis in other Arab countries, partially due to Iran's opposition to Mubarak for the past 30 years. That opposition developed after Mubarak granted the Shah of Iran political asylum in Egypt following the 1979 Iranian revolution.
Now, a new U.S.-based Gallup poll taken since the Brotherhood and the more fundamentalist Salifist al-Nour party combined to establish an Islamist Muslim majority in parliamentary elections earlier this year reveals that some 56 percent of Egyptians see relations with the United States as bad for the country. This latest consensus is up from 40 percent last December. Only 25 percent say a closer relationship with Washington is a good thing, while 41 percent favor closer ties with Iran.
Furthermore, only 19 percent of Egyptians approve of U.S. government policy while 65 percent disapprove. The rest are undecided. In addition, a sizeable majority of Egyptians support replacing U.S. assistance with funds from Iran, while a decreasing number view the treaty with Israel as positive. Eighty-two percent of Egyptians questioned oppose U.S. economic aid to Egypt, up from 71 percent from last December.
http://www.businessinsider.com/a-longtime-american-ally-is-now-aligning-itself-with-iran-2012-4