Hillary Clinton Won’t Say Who the U.S. Supports In Egypt

Hmm, pretty simple question from CNN's Candy Crowley, right?

CROWLEY: It seems to me that when this started out and we saw the signs and the protesters in the street, they were anti-Mubarak. Now, if you are watching, we are seeing signs that say "U.S., stop backing Mubarak." What side is the U.S. on, Mubarak or the people in the streets?

CLINTON: Well, there's another choice. It's the Egyptian people. We are on the side -- as we have been for more than 30 years -- of a democratic Egypt that provides both political and economic rights to its people, that respects the universal human rights of all Egyptians. And that is the message that every ambassador, whether Republican or Democratic president, everyone has conveyed for over 30 years.

Hmm, and how long has Mubarak been in power? Oh right, 30 years. Jesus, would itkill anyoneto say, "Look, even with an autocratic government in Egypt, it has been a benefit to the stability of that part of the world to support Mubarak because Egypt's peace with Israel really helped things from going absolutely insane, worldwide, during the 1980s and probably 1990s."

You could say that, right? Republican administrations, Democratic administrations, they all supported Mubarak because Mubarak maintained peace with Israel. Just say it, and then say, "But of course Egypt's people should overthrow the government, and we hope they honor the peace treaties with Israel and that we don't have either World War III, or worse, a really big oil embargo that will be the absolute last nail in the extra-large coffin of America." [ CNN ]