Senate aide: US military aid to Egypt has stopped
Source: AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate aide says the Obama administration has halted military aid to Egypt.
David Carle, an aide to Sen. Patrick Leahy, says the Senate Appropriations panel for foreign relations has been informed the "transfer of military aid was stopped."
He says the suspension reflects the administration's "current practice, not necessarily official policy." He says there is no indication how long military assistance will be held up.
The Obama administration says it's reviewing U.S. aid to Egypt in light of the military's July 3 overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi and the ongoing crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood supporters.
Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/senate-aide-us-military-aid-egypt-has-stopped
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dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)Huffpo link here : Obama Administration Has Halted Egypt Military Aid: Senate Aide :
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki says Washington still hasn't delivered some $585 million for 2013. That's almost half the annual military aid package.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/20/obama-egypt-military-aid_n_3785584.html
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)...even if it seems to timid to articulate its position out loud.
gussmith
(280 posts)But if the money is restored retroactively I will be so angry.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)Again, we are siding with fundamentalist kooks and doing this will not win any friends.
seabeckind
(1,957 posts)and in which country?
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)going back to the assassination of Anwar Sadat. They don't stand for peaceful coexistence. One of their ranks, Aymal Al Zawahiri rose to be No. 2 in Al Q'aeda.
Muslim brotherhood is not a political party but an extreme fundamentalist and criminal organization involved in child trafficking and other crimes.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)John2
(2,730 posts)you call freedom of expression, hate filled propaganda? Is it because you disagree? Why don't you prove it is propaganda? Do you hate the Egyption military? They are people too.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)The Brotherhood renounced the path of jihad decades ago and instead opted for political engagement.
Zawahiri left the Brotherhood to take the path of jihad and has strongly criticized them as fools for believing they would be allowed to engage politically via the democratic political process.
I don't have all day to write an essay...
As for the Egyptian military, I tend not to feel very nicely toward armed autocrats who massacre civilian demonstrators. I think Gen. Al-Sisi needs to be sent to the Hague with the other war criminals.
The poster to whom I responded is nothing but a chronic Islam-basher and bigot. He usually only shows up to call for the destruction of Pakistan, but is giddy with joy over the massacre in Cairo.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)Aren't a majority of the Egyptian military and non-muslim-brotherhood citizens Muslim also? Or does their faith not matter to anyone who blindly supports the muslim brotherhood?
If they are not religion based fundamentalists, why doesn't their organization call itself "Egyptian brotherhood" instead?
I think some people see Islamophobia where none exists. It is my opinion that the muslim brotherhood is a terrorist organization -- maybe not as radical as Taliban but radical nevertheless. People are free to disagree with me. If by supporting the military one is Islamophobic then so are the governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Indonesia who support the military.
I believe that the military gave every chance for the Mursi government to succeed but when faced with an out of control chaos, someone had to act and restore law and order. Any loss of life is regrettable but when violent rallies are called to express "rage", someone is bound to get hurt. Constructively, instead of the violent rallies, they could have strengthened their political organization and be ready for the next elections to win those more decisively.
Supporting the military is in US national interest because a) the military has the support of the moderate Egyptians, b) it brings about stability and c) it will have a moderating influence on the rest of the fundamentalist kooks running rampant in other countries.
Supporting Muslim brotherhood is a losing proposition -- it will make us lose the support of the moderates while the MB will continue to hate us despite our support.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)Saudi Arabia pledges to fund Egypt’s military if aid is cut
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/52794226#52794226
but do carry on
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)and so are several other countries - Kuwait, Qatar and UAE.
None of those countries support Al Q'aeda - at least not overtly like they are Egyptian military.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)the laffs just keep on a comin'
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)when they were the "good guys" overthrowing soviet rule.
Since then, KSA has not supported Al Q'aeda directly or indirectly. Some Saudi citizens including the bin Laden group kept funneling money into Al Qaeda but all that dried out after 9/11.
Currently, a majority of the support for Al Q'aeda comes from Pakistani military and not KSA.
religious extremist who think the Constitution should follow the Bible in our country. They blow up abortion clinics and ban Gays. They think women belong in the kitchen and should follow their husbands. They also want to leave the poor on their own. They believe all races are not equal. Those kinda Kooks. I consider the Taliban a bunch of kooks. Jim Jones was a kook too. The Muslim Brotherhood are religious fanatics. They are not happy keeping their religion among their members, but rather force it on the whole country. I don't believe ALLah or God told them any such thing. They are more like a cult. You can practice your religion without placing it in Government which are Governments by men.
There are common areas everyone can agree on, such as the basic needs of life. That is shelter, food and security within one's own country. Everyone cannot agree on religion though. Man can also agree on self defense, but did, Allah or God, leave it for man to carry out his judgement on others, such as killing, or maiming a person? That is the problem with the Muslim Brotherhood leaders. They claim they speak for Allah or God, but do they really? I think they like the power and having slaves, like Jim Jones did. No body is oppressing these people but themselves and the men taking advantage of them.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Uh, how about the junta, which is busily murdering them by the hundreds, if not thousands by now?
seabeckind
(1,957 posts)that all we have seen of the motives of other people is thru the lens of the information given us. It looked like you were grasping the point when you said we have extremists in our country who say we should follow the bible absolutely but then proceeded to ignore all of that movement in this country -- all of the anti-muslim sentiment -- and then condemned the brotherhood in a place far away that we see only thru someone else's eyes and words.
I'm sorry but a kook is a kook. Period. There is no justification for kookishness based on which hat you wear, which church you attend, or whatever.
A man blowing up an abortion clinic is a terrorist, no matter how grand his motive. His method is terror.
Dissident or freedom fighter depends on where you're standing. A rocket doesn't gain justification based on the direction it flies.
hooray for our side
John2
(2,730 posts)I'm looking at Egypt's entire written history. It had a History long before the Muslim Brotherhood ever existed. Islam was bought to Egypt by the invasion of the Arabs. The World is not going to dictate their views on the people of Egypt. All Egyptians do not agree on religion. I support the Egyptian military, because they don't advocate one religion. That is the problem the Muslim Brotherhood has with the other groups. It is also the problem with religious fanatics in this country.
The military did not step in, until the Muslim Brotherhood leaders were calling for a Jihad in Syria. Morsi also cut all relations with Syria. Their religious leaders called for a Fatwah. They also started lynching other religious groups, including Shites. Morsi attended their meetings and said nothing against it. It was a meeting just right before he cut off all relations with Syria. The military high command of Egypt sent the Syrian Government a communique, claiming they had no intentions of attacking another Arab country, right after Morsi did all this. There were members of the Muslim Brotherhood also going into Syria waging war against the population.
I think people are misinterpreting the entire message here. The same is happening in Syria, as is happening in Egypt and Tunisia with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood was a threat to all these Governments. Saudia Arabia and Qatar, desperately needs influence in Egypt, in order to carry out their threats in the Middle East against Syria and Iran.
The Egyptian Army is also a threat to the monarchs, because they mostly favor secularism. They are trying to buy the Egyptian Army off, just like Israel, Europe and the United States of course. It is up to the Egyptian Army. Morsi for what it was worth, was co-operating with the Saudis, Qatar, United States,Europe and Israel, for what they want done in Syria and Iran. The Egyptian Army is mainly the product of Nasser,Sadat and Mubarak. They are the real power in Egypt and see the Muslim Brother as a threat to the Stability of the country. They have always viewed the Muslim Brotherhood as such. Many of the people the Muslim Brotherhood lure are the very poor and not well educated. Many don't believe in Science. Think about philosophy and the story of the cave. Many just believe in Blind Faith. The Muslim Brotherhood drew their beliefs from a man that once visited America and hated all the freedoms he saw in this country. The Muslim Brotherhood does not have to run the country to practice their beliefs if that is what they want. Maybe they are not so secure about people following their beliefs.
The loss of Egypt as an Ally, muddies the entire picture and they know it. Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood had a lot of leverage across the Middle East until he was overthrown. Erodgen is also very angry at the change in Egypt. That is the picture I'm seeing. The Egyptian military is marching to their own tune and not being influenced by anybody. I think that is good.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)seabeckind
(1,957 posts)And in order that we maintain the status quo on jobs, I suggest that military contractor making the tanks that we were sending to Egypt, the one who was whining on the evening news last night that they would be out of work, immediately retool his factory to make refrigerators or other appliances (energy saving, of course) and we would continue subsidizing all his jobs.
Then we can subsidize the purchase of said appliances to those in need in this country.
Maybe work to make our people's lives better than other people's lives miserable.
Matter of priorities.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)another_liberal
(8,821 posts)As soon as the coup generals are charged and tried for murder, President Morsi is returned to power temporarily and new elections are scheduled for early next year.
Otherwise, we can save some money. It obviously wasn't buying us that much influence anyway.
PaulKersey
(59 posts)He was becoming a dictator himself.
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)Then they do not deserve another dime of American money. Not a fucking dime.
A coup is a coup, and if there has ever been one, this bloody disaster in Egypt is one.
John2
(2,730 posts)to charge them with murder, Morsi or the Muslim Brotherhood? You going to charge them?
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)The Hague may be a bit slower. Still, I wouldn't doubt it will happen.
The Egyptian generals will finish their lives like Idi Amin, as permanent guests of the Saudi Royal family, or they will die in prison.
PaulKersey
(59 posts)At least the military are protecting Christians when the Muslim brotherhood attacks them.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)...presumably so their bosses can then say "Look, the fanatics are attacking churches."
The cynicism and illiberalism in Egypt knows no bounds.
The talk of cutting aid is because the 1961 Foreign Aid act requires us to cut aid to country's taken over by coups. I think it has something to do with supporting democracy.
David__77
(23,329 posts)The void will simply be filled by others and Egypt's nationalist instincts will be strengthened. For that reason, I don't oppose this move, but certainly not for the reasons stated by the administration. Egyptians will certainly remember this as a move in support of Islamist extremism and terrorism. I hope they understand that not all people in this country support the administration's policy of supporting the MB.
think any Foreign country controls Egypt like some of our fellow citizens think. Egypt has a lot of leverage of their own and have many options, such as Russia, China and Iran of course. The most importnt Arab country in the Middle East to me is Egypt. That country is geographically important and has a population of 85 million people. Then you have Iran which is also very important in the region with 79 million people. Egypt was once allied with the USSR but replaced Iran as an Ally. You could end up with the two most important countries in the region with the two most powerful Armies other than Israel Allied. That will not be good for Israel or the United States. It certainly want be in Saudi Arabia's Interest or Qatar.
Bosonic
(3,746 posts)WASHINGTON (AFP) — Egypt's interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi said in an interview Tuesday it would be a mistake if the United States cut off military aid but insisted Cairo could survive without it.
A possible move by Washington to stop US weapons deliveries and other assistance to Egypt "will be a bad sign and will badly affect the military for some time," Beblawi told ABC News.
A violent crackdown by Egypt's security forces against supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi has prompted Washington to cancel an exercise and delay the transfer of four F-16s, amid speculation more aid could be withheld from Cairo.
But Beblawi said that, in the past, Egypt had turned to Russia for weapons and would find a way forward, even without American help if necessary.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gCh7IpwnoiCJUgvchukP3D11mNdw?docId=CNG.afc70e226c71a62717c28c1380739a8d.751&hl=en
freshwest
(53,661 posts)I wonder which RW pundit will go with that...