Obama Pledges Support to Post-Mubarak Egypt

“The United States will continue to be a friend” to Egyptians, the president said.

In his first speech since Hosni Mubarak resigned this morning, Barack Obama said, “Today belongs to the people of Egypt,” and praised the Egyptian protesters for their dedication to nonviolence in the pursuit of freedom. Speaking from the White House, he said that the U.S. will continue to support its long-time ally in the Middle East and is willing to provide whatever aid is necessary in the days ahead. There has been speculation that Washington would make aid to Egypt conditional on the post-Mubarak regime’s support for Israel, but Obama appeared to take such conditions off the table, at least for now. He also said that cooperation between Egyptian Muslims and Christians was proof the two faiths could co-exist.