In his first interview since the overthrow of president Mohammed Morsi last month, Egypt’s top general sharply criticized the U.S. response, accusing the Obama administration of disregarding the Egyptian popular will and providing insufficient support amid threats of a civil war. “You left the Egyptians. You turned your back on the Egyptians, and they won’t forget that,” said an indignant Gen. Abdel Fatah al-Sissi. “Now you want to continue turning your backs on Egyptians?” Sissi is widely considered the most powerful man in Egypt, wielding more control than anyone over the country’s direction after a tumultuous 2½ years in which the military has shoved aside two presidents following popular uprisings. Egypt’s army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sissi has lashed out at the United States, urging Washington to do more to pressure the Muslim Brotherhood to end its rallies. Although Sissi gives occasional speeches, he rarely sits down for interviews. But over the course of two hours in Cairo’s Defence Ministry, he provided his most detailed explanation yet of why he decided to oust Morsi, the nation’s first democratically elected president. He also expressed deep disappointment that the U.S. has not been more eager to embrace his rationale. Sissi’s remarks, made on Thursday, are a measure of just how thoroughly the Obama administration has alienated both sides in a profoundly polarized and unsettled Egypt, all while trying to remain neutral. Morsi’s supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood regularly accuse the U.S. of acquiescing to a military coup. As Brotherhood Supporter Is Buried, Movement Says It Won’t Back DownAs Brotherhood Supporter Is Buried, Movement Says It Won’t Back Down Since Morsi’s July 3 ouster, U.S. officials have cautioned Sissi and other generals to show restraint in their dealings with protesters, at least 140 of whom have been killed in clashes with security forces. They have also encouraged the military to reconcile with the Muslim Brotherhood. Still, the furthest Washington has been willing to go in penalizing the military — a key ally — is to postpone the sale of four F-16 fighters. Like many pro-military Egyptians, Sissi appeared angry that the U.S. has not fully endorsed what he described as “a free people who rebelled against an unjust political rule.” Morsi came to power last year amid Egypt’s first wave of voting after the toppling of Mubarak. He received much of his support from the Brotherhood but also won the backing of non-Islamist Egyptians seeking stability. Sissi said he recognized problems with Morsi from the day he was inaugurated. Morsi, he said, was “not a president for all Egyptians, but a president representing his followers and supporters.” One of Morsi’s first major acts in office was to sweep away an older generation of military leaders and appoint Sissi to head the armed forces. At the time, observers speculated Morsi had selected Sissi because he was more sympathetic than other commanders to the Brotherhood. But, in the interview, Sissi was unsparing in his critique of the group, saying Brotherhood members are more devoted to their Islamist beliefs than they are to Egypt. “The idea that gathers them together is not nationalism, it’s not patriotism, it is not a sense of a country,” he said. Still, Sissi portrayed himself as reluctant to move against Morsi and said he had done all he could during to help him succeed in his year in office. Morsi, he said, repeatedly failed to heed his advice. Meanwhile, the economy was badly deteriorating, and law and order was breaking down. Millions of Egyptians took to the streets on June 30 , the anniversary of Morsi’s inauguration, to demand the end of his rule. Ultimately, Sissi said, he had no choice. “I expected if we didn’t intervene, it would have turned into a civil war,” he said.
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