With anticipation and caution, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain are holding their breath towards the outcome of the US elections, as any outcome that does not bring President Donald Trump to a second term, will not be in the interests of the three countries ’systems, according to observers and analysts, if his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, succeeds.
Trump’s favorite dictator definitely prefers him
In contrast to the previous US elections, which witnessed suspicions of the arrival of Egyptian funds to support the campaign of the Republican candidate and the current President Donald Trump in 2016, Cairo did not issue any direction or support towards any of the presidential candidates, whether Trump or Biden.
“Al-Jazeera Net” reported that two experts in international relations said that Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi does not favor any change inside the White House, which may create problems and criticism of his administration in files related to democracy and human rights.
Close and media personnel from the circle of the Egyptian regime describe Biden as an extension of the administration of former President Barack Obama, who did not invite Sisi to visit the White House throughout his presidency, and denied him on more than one occasion.
Biden’s criticism of Sisi appeared early, when he said in mid-July, “No more blank checks for Trump’s favorite dictator,” a description inspired by Trump that came in the context of Biden’s criticism of the human rights situation in Egypt, including his refusal to arrest, torture and exile activists. Opponents are threatening their families.
What reinforces the Egyptian state of concern about Biden’s victory is the demand by members of the US Congress – through separate letters they addressed to Sisi – to respect human rights and the immediate release of political detainees in Egypt.
Egyptian academic Hossam El-Shazly, a visiting professor of change management and strategic planning at the University of Cambridge in Britain, said that Trump’s continuation in the White House is the best for Sisi, saying that the United States has not seen in its recent history any president who turns an eyelid from killing, arrest, kidnapping and leniency in all human rights as he did Trump with Sisi.
Al-Shazli added that the United States has not known a president who supports Israel’s policies in the region – including the decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem – as Trump has done, nor in his support for decisions on relations with Israel as well, nor a president who describes Sisi as his favorite dictator.
On the other hand, Al-Shazly believes that Biden is the least favorable to Sisi, especially since the former included in the features of his foreign policy matters related to Egypt, such as the file of freedoms, the release of detainees, freedoms and others.
For his part, Mohamed Hamed, an Egyptian researcher in international relations, confirmed that his country’s administration is more inclined to Trump and expected his victory in 2016.
Hamed said that Cairo today sees Biden in re-electing Barack Obama again, as for Trump’s arrival for a new term, it represents its strength and its strategic interests with the United States.
Hamed pointed out that Cairo no longer considers its relationship with Washington linked to the peace agreement with Israel and controlling its rhythm, or as a cornerstone and strategic point in the US national security line, because of its relations with Tel Aviv, not only because of its relations with Tel Aviv, but the theory of joint relations changed due to the January revolution.
UAE: We hope Trump wins
The right-wing pro-Trump newspaper, Israel Hayom, quoted in a report, an Emirati diplomat, describing him as high, as saying, “Our eyes are on the elections in the United States. We hope Trump will win, but we are preparing for the possibility of a new president entering the Oval Room in the White House.” That Trump’s election campaign has garnered millions of dollars from Muslim supporters of Trump and his Middle East policy.
