(SV-SMC) The negative role which Egypt is playing on regional and international levels is not only subject to criticism by the Arab media, but it jumped to the western

media which started in the recent period focusing on the violations and negative practices of Cairo in regard to human rights, political freedoms along with its hostile moves against some of its neigbouring countries.
The scary conditions in Egypt pushed up the Washington Post – which is considered the second in terms of distribution in the USA to prepare a report through its editorial in which it advised Trump to realize that Egypt’s dictator (referring to Al-Sissi) is no friend of the United States.
Washington Post pointed to the recent meeting between the Egyptian ruler Abdul Fattah Al-Sissi and US Vice President  Pence after which the latter told reporters that he had raised the cases of two Americans unjustly imprisoned in Cairo as well as the treatment of nongovernmental organizations and religious freedom.
According to the Washington Post it was good that Mr. Pence spoke up, but strange that he would repeatedly call Mr. Sissi a “friend” and claim that the U.S.-Egypt relationship “has never been stronger.”
The report went on to say that even more disappointing, for many Egyptians, was Mr. Pence’s failure to comment on the bizarre travesty of democracy Mr. Sissi was enacting around his visit.
Just before the vice president’s arrival, the strongman officially announced that he would be a candidate in the presidential election in March. That he will be the only serious contender is not because Egyptians have no interest in alternatives. Before Mr. Sissi’s announcement, two potentially potent rivals, former prime minister and air force chief Ahmed Shafiq and Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat, the nephew of a former president, were driven out of the race. Mr. Shafiq was detained incommunicado until he yielded.
While it may disregard this abuse of the democratic norms that Egyptians turned out en masse to support seven years ago this week, the Trump administration ought to find Mr. Sissi’s actions worrying. The general has manifestly failed to stabilize Egypt over the past half-decade, or to prevent the growth of a virulent Islamic State franchise in the Sinai Peninsula. He has grossly mismanaged the economy, pushing pharaonic megaprojects while driving away investors. Political repression has been the worst in Egypt’s modern history, with thousands killed or disappeared, tens of thousands imprisoned, and a once-lively media and civil society stifled.
The Washington Post report raised the exhortation of the Egyptian regime as it was not the first. The Washington Post revealed before the existence of a shipment of North Korean anti-tanks projectiles which was seized a year ago heading towards Egypt a matter that was denied by the latter accusing the Washington Post as attempting to create a wrong impression that Egypt is not committed to the UNSC in regard to North Korea. But the report was based on documented information from US officials who hinted that Cairo is still purchasing weapons from North Korea through private companies to meet the demand of the Egyptian army a matter that violates the international sanctions against North Korea.
The Washington Post enumerated the failures of Al-Sissi and did not hesitate to describe him as failure besides shouldering him the responsibility of what is going on in his country.
The Washington Post went to say that while it may disregard this abuse of the democratic norms that Egyptians turned out en masse to support seven years ago this week, the Trump administration ought to find Mr. Sissi’s actions worrying. The general has manifestly failed to stabilize Egypt over the past half-decade, or to prevent the growth of a virulent Islamic State franchise in the Sinai Peninsula. He has grossly mismanaged the economy, pushing pharaonic megaprojects while driving away investors. Political repression has been the worst in Egypt’s modern history, with thousands killed or disappeared, tens of thousands imprisoned, and a once-lively media and civil society stifled.
It’s no wonder that two retired senior generals would offer themselves as alternatives to Mr. Sissi. That his response is to arrest them shows his insecurity about his own position; the strongman’s base is steadily eroding. Without the support of much of the military elite — itself an isolated minority in Egypt — Mr. Sissi stands little chance of addressing the country’s worsening domestic problems or defeating the Islamic State . That makes him not a friend but a liability for the United States.