President Barack Obama - Term 1 and 2 Thread

[Behshad]

The shit is hitting the fan over in the Middle East in regards to anti-American protests and riots. Standing by to see how BOzo is going to handle the situation.

Clearly you missed out that the real Bozo in all this turned out to be your boy Romney !

[Behshad]

The shit is hitting the fan over in the Middle East in regards to anti-American protests and riots. Standing by to see how BOzo is going to handle the situation.

Clearly you missed out that the real Bozo in all this turned out to be your boy Romney !

No, not falling for this media template this time. 4 people are dead, the Embassy and Hillary and Obozo are apoligizing profusley to savages and all you guys can do is shift the meme around to Mitt. Hint...it's not gonna work. Bank it.

Falling for the media ? I think its more like you looking at things with your dark shades on!

Nobody is shifting anything around to Mitt. 4 people are dead and Romney tried to use this tragedy to his advantage to gain more votes, it backfired and he failed.

[Behshad]

Romney fails the statesmanship test

A real leader doesn’t jump the gun and put countless lives in danger with careless bravado in responding to acts of aggression. A good president waits for reliable reports, considers the implications of his words, which will be closely parsed, and makes a measured statement. Mitt Romney did the exact opposite, immediately leaping to wild accusations long before all the facts were in.

Mitt Rommey can’t even get his facts straight. When Romney accused President Obama of sympathizing with the rioters and apologizing for an attack on our American values the White House hadn’t even made a statement yet. The only statement that had been issued was by the American embassy in Cairo. That statement was issued before any violence had occurred, in an attempt to defuse the situation before it turned violent.

At the presser this afternoon, when Romney was asked if he “jumped the gun” he said: “I don’t think we ever hesitate when we see something that’s a violation of our principles.”

Well let’s just look at the statement the U.S. embassy in Egypt released:


U.S. Embassy Condemns Religious Incitement

September 11, 2012

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.

Anybody see an “apology” or an “attack on American values” in those words? They’re upholding free speech, freedom of religion and condemning the deliberate incitement of violence by extremists. How is that a violation of our principles? And contrary to the Romney camp’s pitiful attempt at damage control, the White House did not refute the content of the Embassy’s statement. They merely noted it was released independently without White House authorization.

It’s worth noting that no one died in Cairo. Sadly, the similar rioting at the consulate in Libya ended in the death of a dedicated Ambassdor who served our country well. He earned the gratitude of the ordinary Libyan people as they showed in a demonstration of U.S. solidarity today.

[Behshad]

[The Sushi Hunter]

And no matter how he handles it, you and all your neo-con buddies on this board will condemn it - even if it's identical to what Romney or any Republican President would do. I guarantee it.

Seven Wishes = Hypocrite

[Behshad]

The shit is hitting the fan over in the Middle East in regards to anti-American protests and riots. Standing by to see how BOzo is going to handle the situation.

Clearly you missed out that the real Bozo in all this turned out to be your boy Romney !

No, not falling for this media template this time. 4 people are dead, the Embassy and Hillary and Obozo are apoligizing profusley to savages and all you guys can do is shift the meme around to Mitt. Hint...it's not gonna work. Bank it.

Falling for the media ? I think its more like you looking at things with your dark shades on!

Nobody is shifting anything around to Mitt. 4 people are dead and Romney tried to use this tragedy to his advantage to gain more votes, it backfired and he failed.

Our bet is still on. We caught the press doing their coordinating of questions for Mitt yesterday to change the narritive away from O and onto Mitt. It won't work B.


FLASHBACK '08: Obama Politicized Death of 9 Troops To Ding Bush, McCain...

Obama: Egypt not US ally, nor enemy...

Israeli Arab Official Warns Of ‘Armageddon’ Over Anti-Islam Film

BREAKING NEWS: Unrest Spreads in Egypt, Iran, Tunisia, Morocco

Inflation jumps; wholesale gas up most in 3 years...

Jobless claims rise to 382,000 in latest week...

Protesters storm American embassy in Yemen...

US Flags Burned at Tunisia embassy...

New Clashes in Cairo...

Consulate in Berlin evacuated...

Iraqi militia threatens U.S. interests...

'The Most Serious Challenge to Obama'...

Bla bla bla

You should know by now that during times like this, our country stands united and they put their trust the President rather than the guy who " shoots first and aims later"
And of course our bet is still on, I wouldnt expect you back out of it even when you know you're losing , or would you ?

[Behshad]

Gallup Poll: 68% Are Unhappy With Country's Direction

Gallup has been asking the satisfaction question since 1979, and the three presidents who won a second term during that time saw higher satisfaction levels than Obama in the September before their reelection. Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George Bush all topped 40 percent.


RASMUSSEN POLL: ROMNEY BACK IN LEAD...

R: 47%
O: 46%

If youre all about sharing stats, then you must have missed this :

Obama Approval

51% +1


Obama Disapproval

42% -1



Presidential Election


Obama 50% -

Romney 43% -1

And this :

September 12, 2012

U.S. Satisfaction Up to 30%, Highest in Three Years




PRINCETON, NJ -- Thirty percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States. Although low in an absolute sense, the current satisfaction level is the highest Gallup has measured since August 2009 (36%). A year ago, satisfaction stood at 11%.



Shortly before Barack Obama won the election four years ago, satisfaction dipped to a record-low 7% after the September 2008 financial crisis and the unpopular bank bailout that Congress first rejected, then passed. When Obama took office in January 2009, satisfaction remained low at 13%.

However, it steadily climbed during his first year in office, peaking at 36% in August 2009. Satisfaction began to decline thereafter, amid the debate over healthcare legislation, a continually struggling economy, and public frustration with the government's ability to deal with the national debt and other problems.



This year, satisfaction has improved, staying at or above 20% since February.

The Sept. 6-9 Gallup poll also gauged Americans' degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with conditions in the United States. All told, 6% of Americans are very satisfied, 24% somewhat satisfied, 27% somewhat dissatisfied, and 41% very dissatisfied. Thus, the largest segment of Americans is very dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States. However, that figure is down significantly from a year ago, when 56% were very dissatisfied.

The percentage very dissatisfied is now roughly the same as it was in January 2008, 43%, in the earlier stages of the presidential campaign to find a successor for President George W. Bush, who then had a 32% job approval rating.

[Behshad]

Well let’s just look at the statement the U.S. embassy in Egypt released:


U.S. Embassy Condemns Religious Incitement

September 11, 2012

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Unless you're a Catholic and we will mandate that you provide birth control whether you like it or not. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech, (exceptions include owners of certain Chicken restaurants) to hurt the religious beliefs of others. Unless you want to put a Crucifix in a jar of piss, then the National Endowment for the Arts will give you a big grant.

Have I got that about right?

I can see how the statement from the Embassy in Cairo was misinterperted by you after this

[The Sushi Hunter]

I'm still waiting for an American gay couple to try and get married in a stateside Muslim mosque. Bet the Libs and the US Government doesn't try to tell the Muslims they are wrong for not allowing that in their stateside Muslim mosque like they do with all the other religious groups in this country.

[Behshad]

I'm still waiting for an American gay couple to try and get married in a stateside Muslim mosque. Bet the Libs and the US Government doesn't try to tell the Muslims they are wrong for not allowing that in their Muslim mosque like they do with all the other religious groups in this country.

We could easily find out how they would handle this, if you and FactFinder make the announcement and send out invitations

[The Sushi Hunter]

Lame

[Behshad]

OBAMA GAFFE: WH CLARIFIES EGYPT NO 'ALLY' STATEMENT


President Barack Obama didn't intend to signal any change in the U.S.-Egypt relationship last night when he said Egypt is not an "ally," the White House told The Cable today.

In an interview with Telemundo Wednesday night, Obama said that the U.S. relationship with the new Egyptian government was a "work in progress," and emphasized that the United States is counting on the government of Egypt to better protect the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, which was attacked by protesters on Sept. 11.

"I don't think that we would consider them an ally, but we don't consider them an enemy," Obama said. "They're a new government that is trying to find its way. They were democratically elected. I think that we are going to have to see how they respond to this incident."

That comment had Egypt watchers scratching their heads, especially since technically, Egypt was designated as a Major Non-NATO Ally in 1989 when Congress first passed the law creating that status, which gives them special privileges in cooperating with the United States, especially in the security and technology areanas.

Dude probably should learn to not shoot first then aim later.

Try to put any kind of spin you want to that comment. If he would have said theyre our allies, you wouldve crucified him. If he wouldve said theyre our enemies you wouldve crucified him. He did the right thing to say exactly what he said and with the explanation followed for those like you who wouldnt understand why he said that, but still didnt help.
The Egypt we deal with now is nothing like the 1989 Egypt.

[The Sushi Hunter]

To this day I still don't fully understand why we were even involved with the deal in Libya. As far as I am aware, both sides hate us (America) over there. The underdogs pretended to like us just to get the help to take out alot of that country's military threats. Now with Muammar Gaddafi and his Government gone, they are going after the Americans.

Stunned NBC Chief Foreign Correspondent Wonders Why Obama Supported Mubarak Overthrow

TODD: I just want to get your first reaction, before you give me a report, of the President saying Egypt was not an ally or an enemy.

ENGEL: Yeah, I almost had to sit down when I heard that. For the last forty years, the United States has had two main allies in the Middle East — Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the other ally in the Middle East being Israel. For the President to come out and say, well, he’s not exactly sure if Egypt is an ally any more but it’s not an enemy, that is a significant change in the perspective of Washington toward this country, the biggest country in the Arab world. It makes one wonder, well, was it worth it? Was it worth supporting the Arab Spring, supporting the demonstrations here in Tahrir Square, when now in Tahrir Square there are clashes going on behind me right in front of the US embassy?

You can see now teargas coming — teargas being fired into a crowd of demonstrators who are trying to get close to the embassy, which is at the end of the street, and throw rocks at the US embassy. A very different scene here, a very different Egypt before, when the United States — President Obama — was supporting the demonstrators, President Mubarak was in power, and Egypt was very much an ally. The President doesn’t seem to be sure if Egypt is an ally any more, and some demonstrators who the Arab Spring helped give a voice to are trying to attack the US embassy


video.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... XToNNNoZc#!

[Behshad]

Russians Say Attack in Libya Vindicates Their Position

..."It is a tragedy to the family of the poor ambassador, but his blood is on the hands of Hillary Clinton personally and Barack Obama personally," Mr. Satanovsky said. He said Russian warnings against intervention in the Middle East came from the bitter experience of the Soviets in Afghanistan...

Since when do you care what Russian says ? Since when do you give a flying fuck about people of Egypt scratchin their heads? Dont forget that your boy Mittster has an ' I dont give a fuck what nation I piss off" attitude

[Behshad]

To this day I still don't fully understand why we were even involved with the deal in Libya. As far as I am aware, both sides hated us (America) over there. The underdogs pretended to like us just to get the help to take out alot of that country's military threats. Now with Muammar Gaddafi and his Government gone, they are going after the Americans.

But you fully understand the Iraq war, eh ?

[The Sushi Hunter]

To this day I still don't fully understand why we were even involved with the deal in Libya. As far as I am aware, both sides hated us (America) over there. The underdogs pretended to like us just to get the help to take out alot of that country's military threats. Now with Muammar Gaddafi and his Government gone, they are going after the Americans.

But you fully understand the Iraq war, eh ?

Depending on which one. Remember, I was in the first one of '91. Iraq had gone in and fucked up Kuwait after Saddam publically showcased supposed nuclear detonators. The Iraq issue in the early 2000s was in partial response to Saddam not allowing weapons inspectors into the country. He was also involved with payoffs to the families of suicide bombers operating in the Middle East. In the Iraq issue of the early 2000's, I'm not sure I fully agree with it all, because as far as I'm concerned, we got rid of a shitbag but..........another shitbag will surely just take his place. This time it may be a more unstable religious extremist. So it boils down to what was the worst of the two evils, Saddam or some more unstable religious extremist. I don't believe Saddam was a religious extremist, and that is the one thing to be concerned with the most with Middle East issues.

[Gin and Tonic Sky]

It was a dumb idea to overthrow Mubarak and Gadaffi. The problem is that Mitt Romney supports the same Staussian cum Wilsonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs - that is people all want freedom so we are ok re-engeering their societies and forcing it on them.

Its doesn't work. What we should be following is a Humean cum Jeffersonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs. A policy that states that we realize all people have natural rights, but make their own cultural choices and that we cant force anything on them. Therefore we mind our own business, defend our interests when absolutely neccesary.

Romney/ Obama = same foreign policy nonsense. Whose worse, I don't know.

Stunned NBC Chief Foreign Correspondent Wonders Why Obama Supported Mubarak Overthrow

TODD: I just want to get your first reaction, before you give me a report, of the President saying Egypt was not an ally or an enemy.

ENGEL: Yeah, I almost had to sit down when I heard that. For the last forty years, the United States has had two main allies in the Middle East — Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the other ally in the Middle East being Israel. For the President to come out and say, well, he’s not exactly sure if Egypt is an ally any more but it’s not an enemy, that is a significant change in the perspective of Washington toward this country, the biggest country in the Arab world. It makes one wonder, well, was it worth it? Was it worth supporting the Arab Spring, supporting the demonstrations here in Tahrir Square, when now in Tahrir Square there are clashes going on behind me right in front of the US embassy?

You can see now teargas coming — teargas being fired into a crowd of demonstrators who are trying to get close to the embassy, which is at the end of the street, and throw rocks at the US embassy. A very different scene here, a very different Egypt before, when the United States — President Obama — was supporting the demonstrators, President Mubarak was in power, and Egypt was very much an ally. The President doesn’t seem to be sure if Egypt is an ally any more, and some demonstrators who the Arab Spring helped give a voice to are trying to attack the US embassy


video.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... XToNNNoZc#!

[Behshad]

ouch...Barry, you better put some ice on that.


http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/the_ru ... rs-for-him

September 13, 2012 2:57 PM

Obama fails, the media covers for him

An American ambassador and three aides murdered in Libya, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo attacked and the incompetent man in the White House has no idea, no instinct, no guiding principle whatsoever to dictate how to react.

President Obama delayed his campaign schedule slightly to address the matter… hey, he can’t be viewed as aloof or uncaring when American blood has been shed.

This incompetent response to attacks on Americas should be a political bloodbath for President Obama. But it’s not. His Democrat allies and eager co-conspirators in the media took care of everything.

It’d be sad if it were not completely predictable.

President Obama waited hours to issue a statement on the murders in Libya. Even then, he condemned them only about as strongly as he condemned the unknown person who produced the poor quality video accused of inciting the violence.

And he never mentioned the near-riots at our embassy in Cairo.

Who did speak up and offer leadership? Mitt Romney.

He reacted how you’d hope an American leader would. He took a hard line against those who murdered our diplomats and invaded U.S. sovereignty in Egypt. He defended American principles and free speech. And he rightly criticized the Obama administration’s multiple attempts to appease violent radicals.

It was no accident people in these tinderboxes of anti-Americanism saw this video. Their governments wanted them to see it … or else they would’ve blocked it. They wanted people to react. And they wanted to see what the President would do. Now they know: not much.

They know because that’s precisely what the President did. He issued a wet noodle statement and jumped on Air Force One to campaign. Imagine if President Bush had done this. We know precisely what would’ve happened: media frenzy.

Then, when President Obama realized he was being out-presidented by Mitt “lack foreign-policy experience” Romney, he took “action.” He sat down with CBS News and said Romney “seems to have a tendency to shoot first and aim later.” This is the President who had to hold a “beer summit” after accusing a police officer of “acting stupidly” without knowing any facts. Moreover, Romney was right. He said what Americans want to hear their leaders say at times such as this.

The president’s handlers know this, otherwise, they wouldn’t have had him participate in the hastily scheduled CBS interview.

But they needn’t have panicked. The president’s guard/lap dogs in the media had already circled the wagons to protect him.

The President’s friends in the media made no mention that he released a statement attacking Romney for issuing a statement on the attacks a full 8 hours before the President made one on the attack itself.

The media couldn’t pursue that meme.

It was so busy bashing Romney, it couldn’t say the obvious: that the Obama administration’s response was weak. while Romney's was strong. No, they had to go with “How dare Romney be critical of the President at a time like this?” Media types channeled Romney to discern whether his advisors “wish they had that statement back.” They took to Twitter to point out Romney had rushed to politicized the matter “before the facts…were known.”

Coincidence? Could it be all these media outlets came to the conclusion this was a gaffe on Romney’s part on their own? No. It was teamwork again.

Before Romney’s statement, an open mic caught “journalists” coordinating questions to make sure he answered for his…not being a Democrat. They didn’t say that, but they might as well have. Romney’s real error, if there was one, was taking questions from the media. He should learn from the President.

It’s hard to imagine a more vivid example of an adoring media covering for its incompetent President. They question Romney’s timing, yet had no problem when the 2008 Democratic nominee used the deaths of nine US troops to attack his opponent.

No media spin, no distraction, no lie can change how our President disgraced himself and his office in the last 48 hours. As unrest and threats to embassies spread, we can expect more of this feckless behavior. With Obama’s weak response, childish attacks and rush to return to campaigning as if nothing had happened, it’s easy to see how radicals sized him up as weak. And why the media felt the need to protect him.

Both are sad, neither are surprising.

For every single friend he has in the media , there's one on the other side (the ones you listen to and copy/paste)

You're really grasping , as we near the end of your MittyBoy

[slucero]

It was a dumb idea to overthrow Mubarak and Gadaffi. The problem is that Mitt Romney supports the same Staussian cum Wilsonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs - that is people all want freedom so we are ok re-engeering their societies and forcing it on them.

Its doesn't work. What we should be following is a Humean cum Jeffersonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs.

A policy that states that we realize all people have natural rights, but make their own cultural choices and that we cant force anything on them. Therefore we mind our own business, defend our interests when absolutely neccesary.

Romney/ Obama = same foreign policy nonsense. Whose worse, I don't know.

BINGO.

[Don]

It was a dumb idea to overthrow Mubarak and Gadaffi. The problem is that Mitt Romney supports the same Staussian cum Wilsonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs - that is people all want freedom so we are ok re-engeering their societies and forcing it on them.

Its doesn't work. What we should be following is a Humean cum Jeffersonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs.

A policy that states that we realize all people have natural rights, but make their own cultural choices and that we cant force anything on them. Therefore we mind our own business, defend our interests when absolutely neccesary.

Romney/ Obama = same foreign policy nonsense. Whose worse, I don't know.

BINGO.

The problem is the U.S was a hundred years late to the party. While England, France and the Dutch already completed their cycle of occupy, colonize, withdrawal we are still in the midlife period of empirical rule. The difference being now, there is instant worldwide access for the public to see all of our growing pains, missteps and failures in that arena.

[Gin and Tonic Sky]

It was a dumb idea to overthrow Mubarak and Gadaffi. The problem is that Mitt Romney supports the same Staussian cum Wilsonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs - that is people all want freedom so we are ok re-engeering their societies and forcing it on them.

Its doesn't work. What we should be following is a Humean cum Jeffersonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs.

A policy that states that we realize all people have natural rights, but make their own cultural choices and that we cant force anything on them. Therefore we mind our own business, defend our interests when absolutely neccesary.

Romney/ Obama = same foreign policy nonsense. Whose worse, I don't know.

BINGO.

The problem is the U.S was a hundred years late to the party. While England, France and the Dutch already completed their cycle of occupy, colonize, withdrawal we are still in the midlife period of empirical rule. The difference being now, there is instant worldwide access for the public to see all of our growing pains, missteps and failures in that arena.

True enough we can't undo the damage other colonial powers might have done. Or undo our own mistakes (Slucero mentioned our ill advised mistakes in Iran in 1953 and 1978 and he was right about that example) We don't have to keep compounding the same old mistakes again and redoing them as we seem to have the past decade or so with Iraq, Libya and Egypt.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Buzz words such as "policy" and "human rights" mean nothing to Muslim extremists. I thought most people knew this already.

How about this story:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09 ... -vote?lite

What do these pictures have to do with the upcoming election? The only one that could possibly benefit from this is Obama. Not so? Please explain. If everyone running for office this November was black only, would this sign been used? The pastor who is responsible for putting up this sign is just going along with what Biden said "They'll put you back in chains".

[Jana]

The shit is hitting the fan over in the Middle East in regards to anti-American protests and riots. Standing by to see how BOzo is going to handle the situation.

Clearly you missed out that the real Bozo in all this turned out to be your boy Romney !

No, not falling for this media template this time. 4 people are dead, the Embassy and Hillary and Obozo are apoligizing profusley to savages and all you guys can do is shift the meme around to Mitt. Hint...it's not gonna work. Bank it.

Falling for the media ? I think its more like you looking at things with your dark shades on!

Nobody is shifting anything around to Mitt. 4 people are dead and Romney tried to use this tragedy to his advantage to gain more votes, it backfired and he failed.

This.

[slucero]

It was a dumb idea to overthrow Mubarak and Gadaffi. The problem is that Mitt Romney supports the same Staussian cum Wilsonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs - that is people all want freedom so we are ok re-engeering their societies and forcing it on them.

Its doesn't work. What we should be following is a Humean cum Jeffersonian political philosophy as it pertains to foreign affairs.

A policy that states that we realize all people have natural rights, but make their own cultural choices and that we cant force anything on them. Therefore we mind our own business, defend our interests when absolutely neccesary.

Romney/ Obama = same foreign policy nonsense. Whose worse, I don't know.

BINGO.

The problem is the U.S was a hundred years late to the party. While England, France and the Dutch already completed their cycle of occupy, colonize, withdrawal we are still in the midlife period of empirical rule. The difference being now, there is instant worldwide access for the public to see all of our growing pains, missteps and failures in that arena.

True enough we can't undo the damage other colonial powers might have done. Or undo our own mistakes (Slucero mentioned our ill advised mistakes in Iran in 1953 and 1978 and he was right about that example) We don't have to keep compounding the same old mistakes again and redoing them as we seem to have the past decade or so with Iraq, Libya and Egypt.

Don't forget South America...

"Blowback" is our middle name....

[The Sushi Hunter]

Falling for the media ? I think its more like you looking at things with your dark shades on!

Nobody is shifting anything around to Mitt. 4 people are dead and Romney tried to use this tragedy to his advantage to gain more votes, it backfired and he failed.

Is this true? I missed it. How did Romeny try to use this tragedy to his advantage to gain more votes?

[The Sushi Hunter]

DER SPIEGEL: 'Obama's Middle East Policy is in Ruins'...

FBI Warns of Violence in America...

CARTER CORRECTS OBAMA...

MOB GATHERS OUTSIDE US EMBASSY IN LONDON, BURNS AMERICAN FLAG...

Protesters smash windows, set fires at embassy in Tunisia...

GUNFIRE HEARD AT EMBASSY IN SUDAN...

Report: German embassy in Sudan on fire...

Clashes intensify near US embassy in Cairo...

Embassies on high alert as protests spread...

Crowd in Lebanon torches KFC...

KFC.....no big deal. Glad it wasn't a Chick-a-fil.

[The Sushi Hunter]

This is the issue that I thought was quite interesting yesterday.

The State Department, cutting through the confusion over President Obama's claim that Egypt is not a U.S. ally, contradicted his characterization Thursday.

For the record, spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, Egypt is considered a major non-NATO ally.

The comment came as White House aides also carefully clarified the president's remarks.

The president made the initial statement in an interview with the Spanish-language Telemundo. "I don't think that we would consider them an ally, but we do not consider them an enemy," Obama said, reacting to the ongoing and intense demonstrations outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.

The comment raised eyebrows, considering that Egypt - at least before the fall of Hosni Mubarak -- has long been among the top U.S. allies in the Middle East along with Saudi Arabia and Israel. And legally, it is still considered a major "non-NATO" ally, as Nuland confirmed.

Nuland and White House aides, though, tried to at the same time suggest that Obama was referring to the fact that Egypt is not part of any formal NATO treaty.

"'Ally' is a legal term of art. We don't have a mutual defense treaty with Egypt like we do with our NATO allies. But as the president has said, Egypt is long-standing and close partner of the United States, and we have built on that foundation by supporting Egypt's transition to democracy and working with the new government," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said the same, claiming Obama was referring to the lack of an alliance treaty with Egypt. But they made clear that Egypt is a major partner, noting that Obama spoke Wednesday with President Mohammad Morsi

Not everyone was in the same page, though.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi on Thursday would not go so far as to say Egypt is or will be a U.S. ally. "We'll see," she said.
Pelosi's comment and Obama's original comment indeed reflected concern about the direction of Egypt's post-Mubarak government, heavy with the presence of the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups.

Some have complained that Morsi has not cracked down hard enough on the demonstrators who two days ago breached the wall of the U.S. Embassy and continue to gather in large numbers outside the perimeter. They are purportedly angry over an anti-Islam film.

While condemning attacks on the embassies Thursday, Morsi reportedly said the Egyptian people need "breathing room." And he said he had called on Obama to "put an end to such behavior" like the anti-Islam film.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tried to explain Thursday that the U.S. government cannot prevent the airing of videos, even if they are offensive, because of America's constitutional free-speech protections.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Further proof that this current administration is desporate and confused.

[The Sushi Hunter]

All Hillary needs to do is what most all dems and libs have already been doing when tasked with this difficulty.....ultimately blame it on Bush and the Republicans.

[Behshad]

Falling for the media ? I think its more like you looking at things with your dark shades on!

Nobody is shifting anything around to Mitt. 4 people are dead and Romney tried to use this tragedy to his advantage to gain more votes, it backfired and he failed.

Is this true? I missed it. How did Romeny try to use this tragedy to his advantage to gain more votes?

Yes its true , why else do you think he would slam Obama on how Obama was handling this, when he had NO clue and he was blaming Obama for what the Embassy in Egypt said.

I bet in Romney's household its a common thing to hop around on one leg as the other one is busy keepin the foot in the mouth