Posted on 08/29/2017 5:19:35 AM PDT by Rockitz
The government of Egypt indicated that it was caught off-guard by the U.S. decision to delay $195 million in military aid and completely cut $95.7 million in additional assistance, saying it was only given “a few hours” before the Trump administration made the move public, contradicting claims by the State Department. The Egyptian newspaper al Ahram reports, “The Egyptian foreign ministry statement on Sunday denied reports that Egypt had sufficient prior notice of the planned reduction in aid, insisting that it was informed just hours before the US State Department went public.”
Egypt’s foreign ministry expressed “regret” last week when the U.S. announced its decision to reduce aid allocated to Cairo.
On Sunday, the ministry described the move as a “misjudgment about the nature of strategic relations” that have bound the two countries for two decades.
“Egypt sees this measure as reflecting a poor judgment of the strategic relationship that ties the two countries over long decades and as adopting a view that lacks an accurate understanding of the importance of supporting Egypt’s stability,” said the statement.
Last week, the ministry explained, the U.S. move lacks a correct understanding of “Egypt’s stability in light of the economic and security challenges facing the Egyptian people and also implies a mixing of cards that may have negative repercussions on achieving Egyptian-American common interests.”
Nevertheless, Trump administration officials insist that withholding money from Cairo will not have an impact on U.S.-Egyptian relations, particularly when it comes to fighting terrorism.
...
Normally, Egypt receives $1.3 billion annually in military assistance from the United States and about $250 million more in economic aid.
U.S. law requires the administration to withhold 15 percent ($195 million) of the $1.3 billion unless Cairo can certify that Egypt is making progress on advancing human rights and democracy.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
This withholding of 15% is temporary and has been done for years.
The globalists and neocons have controlled US foreign policy over the last fifty years. They have formulated and implemented the US entanglements in the MidEast and the world. Can any rational person actually make a cogent argument that the United States is a more secure nation for having made huge material and human sacrifices? Trillions of dollars have been squandered, over seven thousand brave young Americans dead, tens of thousands more suffering grievous physical and psychological maiming wounds. What has been accomplished? For one a whole class of unnecessary bitter enemies now seek to do us direct harm any way they can.
Foreign aid is money taken from poor people in rich countries and given to rich people in poor countries.
Sisi has been a good leader to the country.
Obama tried to give Egypt to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Sisi stopped it.
Sisi promised safety to Christians.
I don’t know who made this decision but Trump is being poorly served.
Who are they trying to kid? Egypt's relations with the U.S. have always been bought. Cut the money and the relationship suffers.
Holding 15% is policy. The press is the enemy. President Trump is being well served.
Why does the US try to advance "democracy" anywhere? According to our founding, we should be advancing "republicanism".
Now, if we were France, then I could see advancing according to the founding "democracy".
Pakistain next please Mr. President,,
and blame it climate change..
This could have been done quietly. It is an indication that Obama’s people, who despise Sisi and yearn for the good old days of the early Arab Spring, are still in charge of certain bureaus in the State Department.
You’re right.
This is not good.
U.S. law requires the administration to withhold 15 percent ($195 million) of the $1.3 billion unless Cairo can certify that Egypt is making progress on advancing human rights and democracy.Good law to repeal, pronto! Reducing the capability of Egypt to fight internal terrorism will not progress or advance human rights and democracy.
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