Gen. Jack Keane on Egypt Protests: Islamists, Al Qaeda On the Rise Again Because U.S. Is 'Disengaging' From the Middle East
Bill Hemmer spoke to retired Army Gen. Jack Keane on America's Newsroom as around 100,000 Egyptians flood Cairo to protest the government of the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohammed Morsi.
Protesters called Morsi a modern day "pharaoh" for granting himself near-absolute powers last week.
Keane said he believes the United States must step up and become more engaged in the region, otherwise Islamist forces - like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt - are going to assume control.
"For the past three or four years (Arab leaders) believe the U.S. is disengaging. It started in Iraq, it's our announced policy in Afghanistan. And then when the Arab Spring took place, as opposed to us getting involved and helping to shape that - because the people who were pushing it were democratic reformers - we pulled away from it," Keane said, adding that the Islamists are now gaining ground with Al Qaeda on the rise again.
Watch Keane's full analysis:
