10-17-13 DBA BUTTY - US-EGYPT RELATIONS - ANALYSIS

A MIDDLE EAST ANALYST SAYS ANY PERCEIVED TURMOIL IN CURRENT US-EGYPT RELATIONS CANNOT BE BLAMED ON WASHINGTON'S SUSPENSION OF SOME MILITARY AID TO EGYPT BUT RATHER ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND EXCESSIVE USE OF VIOLENCE BY EGYPT'S MILITARY-BACKED INTERIM GOVERNMENT. THIS COMES AS EGYPT'S FOREIGN MINISTER NABIL FAHMY REPORTEDLY SAID WEDNESDAY THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND EGYPT WERE NOW IN TURMOIL AND THE ENTIRE MIDDLE EAST COUILD SUFFER AS A RESULT. SAMER SHEHATA, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MIDDLE EAST STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA TELLS ME THAT WHILE THERE ARE SOME DIFFICULTIES IN CURRENT US EGYPT RELATIONS THOSE DIFFICULTIES DO NOT AMOUNT TO TURMOIL