'Appropriate And Right' To Host Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood: White House - International Business Times

'Appropriate And Right' To Host Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood: White House - International Business Times: The White House defended Thursday the Obama administration's meetings with a delegation from Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, saying it needs to establish dialogue with the now-dominant Islamic party.

The Obama administration's overtures to the Brotherhood reflect the reconfigured contours of  Middle East politics. During the years when Hosni Mubarak ruled Egypt as a steadfast American ally, the United States was deeply skeptical of the Brotherhood, which embraces a conservative Islamic vision and has close bonds with radical groups like Palestinian Hamas.
But Mubarak's ouster last February, and the Brotherhood's status as a key player in Egypt's fledgling democracy, have upended that dynamic. White House press secretary Jay Carney confirmed that "mid-level officials" had met with a Brotherhood delegation this week in Washington, and said that engaging with the group was "the appropriate and right thing to do."

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