After decades of receiving foreign and military aid costing the United States untold billions of dollars, Egypt now illegally holds 19 US citizens hostage, including the son of the US Transportation Secretary, on bogus, trumped-up political charges.
Then Monday brought us President Barack Obama’s annual budget message to Congress where he proposed giving $800,000,000 to the “Arab Spring” countries in economic aid, which includes Egypt. This would be on top of the existing $1.3 billion in military aid for the country.
This of course has many in Washington and around the country wondering why we are giving all this money to Egypt. One Senator in particular has asked, Will we ever learn that you can’t buy friendship? We will ever learn that you can’t create Democrats out of authoritarians simply by buying them off?
Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has proposed an amendment that would strip Egypt of foreign aid for 30 days in retribution for the country's detention of 19 American pro-democracy workers.
Paul’s “Egypt amendment” has stalled the confirmation of one of President Obama’s judicial nominees, Adalberto Jose Jordan, to the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. In addition, it has held up the transportation bill in the Senate Tuesday because surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, his fellow Senators will not allow 10 minutes of discussion and a vote on the amendment.
Senator Paul stands firm saying, "This is something we should make a clear and unequivocal statement about. The message needs to be louder and more firm. … We will not tolerate any country holding US citizens as hostages.”
CLICK HERE TO WATCH SEN. PAUL’S FLOOR SPEECH
Foreign aid continues to get us in trouble both politically and fiscally.
Fiscally, of course we don’t have the money to be giving out this “international welfare”. We are borrowing and/or printing money to pay for this so-called aid.
Politically, foreign aid to Egypt has essentially slapped us in the face considering the latest statements, or should I say threats, from the Muslim Brotherhood.
Essam el-Erian, a top lawmaker for the Muslim Brotherhood has warned that any cuts in U.S. aid to Egypt could affect Cairo’s peace treaty with Israel. Oh the irony, oh the insult.
As Senator Paul fights his battle against giving foreign aid to Egypt while they hold our citizens hostage, I hope a statement in his speech on the Senate floor Tuesday will resonate:
“Will we ever learn that we send money, billions of dollars to these countries, and apparently they still dislike us, disrespect us and say they will side with our enemies”.
Comments