CNN news 2013-08-20 加文本

cnn news 2013-08-20

Moments ago the Muslim Brotherhoodspokesman announcing over Twitter that tomorrow will be a, quote, "Fridayof anger," a day of anger, calling for marches to head toward Cairo'scenter after noon prayers.

Also tonight the death toll from yesterday's clashes revised upwardssignificantly. The state-run TV station Nile TV now saying at least 580 peoplewere killed in fighting yesterday and 4,000 wounded -- 580 killed, 4,000 peoplewounded. Eyewitnesses say the killing mostly at the hands of government forces,many of them are troops and security forces firing live ammunition to demolisha pair of protest camps in Cairo. Today the Pentagon canceled upcoming jointmilitary exercises with Egypt and President Obama condemned the militarygovernment's recent actions. He did not, however, condemn the regime itself.

"We don't take sides with any particular party or political figure. I knowit's tempting inside of Egypt to blame the United States or the West or someoutside actor for what went wrong. We've been blamed by supporters of Morsi. We'vebeen blamed by the other side, as if we are supporters of Morsi. That kind ofapproach will do nothing to help Egyptians achieve the future that theydeserve."

We got a full panel. Arwa Damon is -- is there in Cairo for us live. Egyptianjournalist Mona Eltahawy on the phone, also from Cairo, Arab analyst RobinWright, senior fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center joins us, special"Newsweek" and "Daily Beast" correspondent Peter Beinart,he's the editor of the "Daily Beast's" OpenZion.com blog, and formerBush White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

Arwa, let me start with you, you're on the ground. Hundreds dead, thousandsinjured. Can you take us through what's happened there today and what to expectwith this just announced Friday of anger?

"Well, when we compare the situation to what took place yesterday, it wascertainly significantly calmer but that does not mean that this crisis is byany stretch of the imagination over. The streets of Cairo were pretty emptythroughout the entire day. Of course, now there's that curfew in place. Secondnight in a row that we've had the curfew here. Of course, everyone very anxiousabout what tomorrow is going to bring especially with those mass demonstrationsbeing called for by the Muslim Brotherhood, those expected to take place afternoon prayers not too far from where we are right now Anderson."

Mona, you say you support neither the military nor Muslim Brotherhood. But ifyou support neither then who are you left with and is that part of the problemright now, that there's, that there's basically this polarized sides in Egypt?

"Yeah, absolutely Anderson. I mean I support neither side and I want tomake it very clear that I unequivocally condemn the mass killing by securityforces yesterday and condemn the attacks on churches across the country. Andour biggest and most urgent need right now is to stop the killing and stop theblood because in one day yesterday, almost as many Egyptians were killed inthat one day as they were during the 18 days that took us to get rid of HosniMubarak. Now we do need somebody who's an alternative to the Muslim Brotherhoodand the military could then constantly push the two between the two. And Idon't think that Egypt needs to choose between the two. Egypt is much bigger thanthat."

Robin, the Egyptian ambassador to the U.S. says that this is the most seriousjuncture Egypt has been in the last 30 years. Do you agree with that?

Oh, absolutely. Er and this is a real challenge for the Obama administration.(Er) after all the military has been the cornerstone of U.S. relations sincethe peace treaty (er) since the Egyptians walked away from their relationshipwith the Soviet Union. All of the presidents since the monarchy were ousted in1952 have come from the military until Mohamed Morsi, and this is a momentwhere the United States really has to review its relations with Egypt with themilitary, many of whose leaders were trained in the United States. It has sometough decisions to make. What the president said today had some tough words butthe action was actually rather symbolic. There are tough questions about notjust aid but actually whether United States has enough influence to really makea difference because the military is basically kind of sticking it to Washington,and has indicated it's prepared to take its own action irrespective of what itsallies or the international community has said in condemning what's happened inthe last week.