Abu Muqawama: Post
Abu Muqawama retains its autonomy and the views and beliefs expressed within the blog do not reflect those of CNAS. Abu Muqawama retains the right to delete comments that include words that incite violence; are predatory, hateful, or intended to intimidate or harass; or degrade people on the basis of gender, race, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. In summary, don't be a jerk.
Memorandum to the Congress on Egypt
Today's news from Egypt, where the offices of the National Democratic Institute and the International Republican Institute were raided along with several other civil society organizations*, should prompt swift action from the U.S. Congress when it returns from the holidays.
Unlike many other regional analysts, I am not terribly upset by U.S. military aid to regimes in the Middle East: this aid, in theory, gives the United States influence over the behavior of regimes and institutions in the region -- and also professionalizes Arab military organizations. But the United States has an opportunity to support the promotion of democracy in the region by linking military aid to the development of civil society. Egypt receives approximately $1.3 billion in annual military aid from the United States. The Congress should include a clause to the effect that regimes will not be eligible for U.S. military aid if organizations funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (such as the NDI and the IRI) cannot operate free from host government harassment. The Egyptian military claims organizations like the NDI and the IRI "meddle" in the affairs of Egypt. Well, $1.3 billion in military aid also "meddles" in the affairs of Egypt. If you want the latter, you should be prepared to accept the former as well.**
I have written about the sources of U.S. leverage in the Middle East. I do not think the problem is that the United States does not have leverage but that it has been incompetent in using it. The United States now has an opportunity to use it in Egypt. And even if the Egyptian military declines U.S. military aid (unlikely), the United States will have sent a strong signal that democracy promotion is a strategic goal of the United States in the region and that allied regimes should adjust their behavior. I might not have recommended such a gambit in 2010, but I think the events of 2011 mean the United States has to play by new rules in the region.
*Reports from Cairo indicate the other organizations were the Arab Center for Independence of Justice and Legal Professions (ACIJP), The Budgetary and Human Rights Observatory, Freedom House and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
**Military aid comes from a different pool of money than does other aid. One of the problems the United States has using its leverage is that the right hand often does not know what the left hand is doing. So the Dept. of Defense might be doing one thing while U.S. AID is doing another. Foreign governments know all about the fault lines and divisions in the U.S. government and exploit them. They bet (correctly) the U.S. government will not be able to come up with a whole-of-government approach. The U.S. Congress, though, can step in here and tie one set of activities to another by federal law.
Utterly sensible:. Unlikely
Utterly sensible:. Unlikely to be done. Abu Muqawama for Congress!
Just stop funding SCAF. its a
Just stop funding SCAF.
its a pointless waste of money, and its hypocritical.
Israel is gunna have to take their lumps or get driven into the sea.
That $1.3b is essentially
That $1.3b is essentially payoff money to ensure that the Egyptians maintain the peace with Israel, whose army also receives it, as both sides have since they met at Camp David. Receipt of these funds has never been attached to any other requirements. While I don't agree with the way SCAF is running the show right now, it'd be foolish to threaten removal of the "peace money" given to the military.
http://www.newerahatfactory.c
http://www.newerahatfactory.com/ The same as Ming Chen, Lin in the treatment of the issue of children and grandchildren will be much enlightened. He said: "If my children and grandchildren, money do? Yin and more money, the loss of chi; children and grandchildren do not if I do for money?
RE: keeping the peace
RE: keeping the peace w/Israel
Why even bother? Every time someone's gone to war with Israel, Israel's defeated them and taken new territory. Hell Israel's taken so much territory that they don't even know what to do with it.
And for the record, the Egyptian Army isn't at war with Israel, not because of american payments, but because they know they'll loose. They couldn't even fight to get back the Sinai, the Israelis just gave it back because it was worthless. The only thing the Egyptian Army seems to be good for is killing its own people and raping their own women. Heck maybe that's why they're scared of Israel, it's those Israeli army chick's they're scared of!
Add your comment