Obama bows to the king of Saudi Arabia
In a blunt warning to countries critical of the Egyptian military crackdown and considering suspending aid, longstanding U.S. ally Saudi Arabia suggested that the decisions they make now will have long-term consequences for their relationships in the Arab and Muslim world.
Saudi Arabia has led the way in supporting the Egyptian military’s actions, first in removing the Muslim Brotherhood administration early last month and in its subsequent steps against supporters of the ousted Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi.
Its warning came as policymakers in the U.S. and Europe mull the question of continuing financial assistance to Cairo following the violence in recent days, in which more than 1,000 people have been killed in clashes between security forces and Morsi supporters.
