By Newsmax Wires

February 13, 2011

Is a civil war brewing between the Obama White House and Hillary Clinton's State Department?

A New York Times story published this weekend suggests one may already be erupting.

On Saturday, the Times, quoting numerous White House sources, sought to explain the Obama administration's erratic policy statements during the Egyptian crisis.

The paper reported that Obama was "seething" over statements made by State Department officials suggesting the administration did not want a quick transition of power in Egypt, with President Mubarak stepping down from his office immediately.

Obama felt the State Dept. "made it look as if the administration were protecting a dictator and ignoring the pleas of the youths of Cairo"

As Secretary Clinton and her special envoy Frank Wisner repeatedly called for an orderly transition that would include President Mubarak remaining in office for at least a period of time, Obama and his team studiously sought to undermine the State Dept. stance.

The Times states that Mr. Obama "was furious" by Clinton's and Wisner's statements, "as Mr. Obama was demanding that change in Egypt begin right away."

Secretary Clinton was not the only figure that opposed Obama's view. Clinton was joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Robert Gates who were also advocating that Obama adhere to a cautious and more traditional foreign policy approach toward the situation in Egypt.

Unhappy by the mixed signals high ranking officials were giving, Obama directly intervened, telling White House advisers that "this was not the message we should be delivering.â€