Israel Matzav

US now siding with Egyptian army?

Has there been a change of heart in Washington toward the Egyptian army-led regime of Abdel Fateh el-Sisi? Two indications that the answer to that question is 'yes.'

First, in Washington on Thursday, 86 US Senators beat back an attempt by Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky) to cut off aid to Egypt and use the money for America's roads and bridges.

The amendment, which 86 senators voted against, was an effort by Tea Party Republican Sen. Rand Paul to redirect the $1.5 billion in funding to the reconstruction of dilapidated roads and bridges across the United States.

Paul considers himself an isolationist on a range of foreign policy matters – foreign aid chief among them.

“The president sends billions of dollars to Egypt in the form of advanced fighter planes and tanks, while Detroit crumbles,” Paul said on the floor of the Senate, calling the law “unequivocal” on the issue.

US law on foreign assistance prohibits the funding of foreign governments that have experienced military coups.

...

“The frustration of our citizens regarding foreign aid, given the economic conditions we face, is understandable, so we have a responsibility to explain why American leadership in the world in many cases helps prevent our involvement in conflicts that would be far more costly,” Corker said.

“We should be the steady hand that pushes Egypt toward a peaceful transition to democracy without undermining our interests or Israel’s security, especially when conditions in the region are as they are today.”

Even more significantly - unless it was another gaffe - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday  commended the Egyptian army for 'restoring democracy.'

US Secretary of State John Kerry said in Pakistan Egypt's army had been "restoring democracy" when it toppled Morsi.

"The military was asked to intervene by millions and millions of people, all of whom were afraid of a descendance into chaos, into violence," he told Pakistan's GEO TV.

"And the military did not take over, to the best of our judgment so - so far."

The Muslim Brotherhood is seething over Kerry's statement.

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood criticized Kerry for saying the military had been "restoring democracy" when it toppled Morsi.

"We totally reject these statements and we are very disappointed in them," said Mohamed Ali Bishr, a senior brotherhood leader and a minister in Morsi's former government.

"The United States is a country that speaks of democracy and human rights and they say something like that. I hope that they rethink their position and correct it," he told Reuters

 Hmmm.

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Egyptian army, Egyptian democracy, Egyptian Revolution, John Kerry, Mohammed Morsy, Muslim Brotherhood

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:22 PM