WaPo Reporter: Morsi's Ouster Widely Popular in Egypt

Washington Post correspondent Abigail Hauslohner asserted that the ouster of former Egypt President Mohamed Morsi was not simply a coup but a “widely popularly supported coup” on Sunday’s broadcast of This Week With George Stephanopoulos.

Hauslohner was in Egypt near pro-Morsi encampments when military raids against them began on August 14. She says she “saw police opening fire” and heard “rapid gunfire,” ending up pinned down in an alley with a number of civilians “when the fighting basically expanded beyond the protest camp itself.”

She described the event as “frightening” and said said Egyptian police threatened both civilians and journalists alike.

Yet “in spite” of these things–and in spite of all the negative media reports people around the world have read or heard during the last two weeks–ABC’s Senior Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz said the military enjoys broad support in Egypt. She said she found that “incredible.”

Hauslohner replied, “You have to keep in mind that [the ouster of Morsi] was a coup, but it’s also a widely popularly supported coup.” She said the military has enjoyed strong support in both removing Morsi and in going after the pro-Morsi encampments: “A lot of people are really cheering on this crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins