With all eyes on Syria this weekend, Reps. Michele Bachmman (R-MN), Louie Gohmert (R-TX) andSteve King (R-IA) traveled to Egypt to deliver a highly unconventional message of support to the Egyptian military for eradicating “common enemy” the Muslim Brotherhood.
In a 15 minute news conference-style video broadcast over a pro-government satellite network and shown by Egyptian state media, Bachmann announced, “We are here as members of Congress to say, ‘We are with you, and we encourage you.’” She proceeded to falsely associate the Muslim Brotherhood with the September 11th, 2001 attacks, saying, “We have seen the threat that the Muslim Brotherhood has posed around the world. We stand against this great evil. We remember who caused 9/11. We remember who it was that killed 3,000 brave Americans.”
She described the “terrorists who have shown themselves so recently in the form of the Muslim Brotherhood” as a “common enemy” for the U.S. and Egypt, adding, “We don’t have a choice. They must be defeated.”
Subsequent comments from Gohmert and King were no less damning, with Gohmert vowing to protect American military aid to Egypt to help combat the “bloodthirsty Muslim brothers.”
One expert on Egypt and the Muslim Brotherhood, political scientist at the University of Oklahoma Samer Shehata told The New York Times that the video resembled “a Saturday Night Live skit–unbelievable, ludicrous, almost comic if it wasn’t so painful.”
All three of the tea party-affiliated lawmakers have been on record denouncing the Muslim Brotherhood at home, but this was the first time any American officials had made such strong comments on the matter in Egypt. Bachmann made accusations about Hillary Clinton aide (and Anthony Weiner’s wife) Huma Abedin’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood last year. King has made similar suggestionsabout President Obama himself. And Gohmert has proposed that the FBI is working with the Muslim Brotherhood to impose Sharia law in America.
Watch video below, via YouTube:
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