Yahoo News posted an article today about U.S. military aid to Egypt. The U.S. suspended aid to Egypt after the Muslim Brotherhood government was ousted by the Egyptian military.
The article reports:
“With respect to aid and assistance, I really expect a decision very soon,” Kerry told reporters in response to a question on when Washington planned to release the $650 million in military aid it froze after Morsi’s overthrow.
Washington annually offers about $1.5 billion in aid to Egypt, including $1.3 billion in military aid.
A part of it was frozen at the height of a deadly crackdown on Morsi’s followers after his overthrow and arrest.
Think about this for a minute. We give money to Saudi Arabia–one of the richest Gulf States and one of the least free. We give foreign aid to the Gaza Strip, which routinely burns and stomps on American flags and pays tribute to terrorists. So why are we setting another standard for Egypt?
The article reports:
Mubarak was toppled after an 18-day uprising in early 2011, leading to years of unrest. Islamists revile Sisi, but he is popular among Egyptians who say the country needs a firm hand.
Washington like several Western capitals remains critical of the crackdown, but realises that Sisi, who leads the biggest Arab military force, cannot be ignored in the fight against the Islamic State group.
Sisi has called for a unified Arab military force to fight the jihadists who are also present in the Egypt’s Sinai, and he ordered air strikes against the militants in Libya last month.
We need to remember that America encouraged the fall of Mubarak. The ‘revolution’ was to be part of an ‘Arab Spring’ that would bring democracy to the Middle East. This was part of President Obama’s foreign policy. Instead, in Egypt, the revolution brought in the Muslim Brotherhood and an attempt to institute Sharia Law.
We have not been on the side of the everyday people in the Middle East who have wanted freedom. In Iraq we left the country and diluted our influence so that the old sectarianism could take hold and allow Iraq to become a satellite state of Iran. This encouraged the rise of ISIS. We have intentionally or otherwise taken the side of the Muslim Brotherhood and allowed Iran to become a major player in the area. Had we supported the changes in Egypt after the fall of the Muslim Brotherhood government, we might have had a chance for peace in the region. The Egyptians are willing to fight terrorists, but they are not inclined to take over the whole region. Unfortunately, President Obama has put his money on the wrong horse.