Clinton's calls fall flat in Egypt political fight

Source: AP-Excite

By HAMZA HENDAWI and BRADLEY KLAPPER

CAIRO (AP) - The head of Egypt's military took a tough line Sunday on the Muslim Brotherhood, warning that he won't let the fundamentalist group dominate the country, only hours after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged him to work with Egypt's elected Islamist leaders.

Clinton's visit to Egypt underscored the difficulty Washington faces in trying to wield its influence amid the country's stormy post-Hosni Mubarak power struggles.

Islamist Mohammed Morsi, a longtime Brotherhood figure, was sworn two weeks ago as Egypt's first democratically elected president. Led by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the military handed over power to him June 30 after ruling Egypt for 16 months. The military, however, dissolved the Brotherhood-led parliament and stripped Morsi of significant authorities in the days before his inauguration, while retaining overwhelming powers for itself, including legislative power and control of the writing of a new constitution.

The United States is in a difficult spot when it comes to dealing with post-Mubarak Egypt - eager to be seen as a champion of democracy and human rights after three decades of close ties with the ousted leader despite his abysmal record in advancing either.

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Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi walks with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to a meeting at the Ministry of Defense Sunday, July 15, 2012 in Cairo. Clinton was holding talks with Egypt's top military leaders, just hours after calling for them to help smooth the country's full transition to democracy. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool)