-
John Kerry, Secretary of Gaffes
April 25, 2013 | 9 comments
-
Rand Paul and Marco Rubio at CPAC
March 14, 2013 | 0 comments
-
SEQUESTER: The Dumbest Weight-Loss Plan Ever
March 1, 2013 | 0 comments
-
Israel’s Hard-Right Turn That Wasn’t
January 22, 2013 | 1 comment
-
Deep Space Nine, Twenty Years Later
January 3, 2013 | 23 comments
The Spectacle Blog
Recall that in late December, Egyptian authorities raided the offices of numerous nongovernmental organizations, including the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute, which are funded mostly by US taxpayers through the National Endowment for Democracy. At the time, I wrote that allowing this to stand without tangible consequences for military aid to Egypt would be asking for trouble, and when Egyptian authorities had not fulfilled promises to return material seized in the raids a week later, I (along with some more prominent commentators) called for aid to be cut.
That didn’t happen, and, having asked for trouble, the Obama administration has indeed gotten trouble. Eric Trager of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy notes that the mistreatment of democracy-promotion groups has continued and gotten worse, with American citizens’ targeted and banned from traveling:
The Egyptian government’s recent travel ban on American democracy workers is the latest — and most grievous — attack on U.S.-funded NGOs operating in the country. Six employees are not allowed to travel, including Sam LaHood, the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Four other non-U.S. citizens are also affected. All ten are employed by either the International Republican Institute (IRI) or the National Democratic Institute (NDI)…
The travel ban represents an escalation in the Egyptian military’s crackdown on civil society. Since assuming control last February, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has used state-run media to foster a hostile political environment for pro-democracy NGOs, accusing them of catalyzing instability and portraying as traitors the Egyptian citizens who work for them.
Trager adds that the government still hasn’t backed off from the December raids; the organizations’ Egyptian employees remain under investigation, and their offices remain closed. The administration just keeps asking nicely, to no effect:
Indeed, the Obama administration’s current approach toward the SCAF — dealing with bad behavior through communication rather than consequences — is failing. For example, the president spoke with Defense Minister Muhammad Hussein Tantawi on Friday night and, according to the White House, “underscored that nongovernmental organizations should be able to operate freely.” Yet on Saturday, Sam LaHood, IRI’s director in Egypt, was prevented from leaving the country.
It’s worth pausing to reflect on this: The President of the United States asks the defense minister of a client state to do something perfectly reasonable, and the next day the regime does the exact opposite. How can we keep sending massive piles of no-strings-attached cash to these people? Trager points out that aid money has proven useful in the past for changing the Egyptian military regime’s behavior:
Previous experience suggests that a stronger U.S. response, such as threatening to withhold at least part of the $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt, could convince the SCAF to lift the ban. This is precisely what the Bush administration did in 2002, when it successfully pressured the Mubarak regime to release Egyptian American democracy activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim from prison by threatening to withhold $130 million. Given the SCAF’s recent escalation against NGOs, it is time once again to enact this strategy.
Trager concludes that that admininstration has been hesitant to withhold aid because “policymakers view such aid as vital to maintaining U.S. leverage, given the longstanding relationship between the American and Egyptian militaries, not to mention the recent election of an Islamist-dominated parliament that will be hostile to American interests.” This is an all-too-easy trap for an American administration to fall into: The military presents itself as a check on the Islamists, while meanwhile following the Mubarak playbook of suppressing the development of any non-Islamist opposition — and plays Washington like fiddle. Letting them get away with it is unacceptable. As Trager puts it, “maintaining leverage requires demonstrating a willingness to use it.” It’s past time to demonstrate such willingness.
View all comments (19) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by John Tabin
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/01/27/more-reason-to-cut-aid-to-egyp
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Nancy in NC| 1.27.12 @ 9:36AM
I was beginning to wonder if anyone anywhere would notice this story. They're too busy commenting on that miserable debate of last night.
Egypt is for all practical purposes holding Americans hostage, and not a word on the MSM. I read about it on the WSJ.
How embarrasing it must be for this administration to see how much favor they curried in Egypt. THIS IS what democracy looks like...that is why we are supposed to be a republic with the rule of law.
Occam's Tool| 1.27.12 @ 11:38AM
We need to aid Egypt in the following way:
1)Stop financial aid
2) 1 megaton device on the Aswan dam.
Hobbes| 1.27.12 @ 9:43AM
We should cut foreign aid to every country. We are 16 trillion in debt and are slashing programs for the poor in the USA. I guess the poor abroad are more important. Trying to spread democracy abroad gets you this....fundamentalist whackos running things. Thank the NeoCons.
Dixie Pixie| 1.27.12 @ 9:43AM
Let me get this straight, Obama uses the “Pro-Democracy” NGO's to successfully overthrow the Egyptian government, mistakenly in favor of the Islamic Jehadists, and the author is surprised that there was a governmental crackdown on the NGO's?
Was the Washington Elite so stupid that they believed the Egyptian people would be overjoyed with American political machinations to produce a secular Liberal government?
Did Washington not understand that the Mubarak Government wipe-outed all but the Islamic Jehadists and the Military as political forces.
Did Washington not bother to count how many supporters it actuality had and more importantly who was the political opposition was and what were their numbers?
Was Obama and the Ruling Class that stupid?
Obama and Hillary have so messed up the Egyptian political situation that pulling the military aid string will gain very little.
JimH| 1.27.12 @ 10:06AM
Looks like another job for SEAL team 6. This one along with the American held in Iran.
Oldefarte| 1.27.12 @ 10:44AM
This is just the latest example of a too-long standing policy issue concerning our relationships with foreign countries. In no way, shape or form should this country's taxpayers be required to fork over their hard earned money to our government who thereafter spends same upon FOREIGN AID. It should be simply stopped immediately. Some of us are even of the partial agreement with Ron Paul's position regarding extracting our troops and closing military bases within all foreign countries also [but that is a whole nother issue]. Repeating, this foreign aid needs to be stopped now, period; and this nation's taxpayer-voters should demand same of their political leadership!!!!!!!!!!!
Oldefarte| 1.27.12 @ 11:13AM
Additionally, the following emphasizes the point of the Muslim Brotherhood's creeping involvement in this situation [as in all of these Arab Spring uprisings] which is doubling the reasons why we should not be involved militarily or otherwise there:
'.....Bolton Warns Iran Just Buying Time to Go Nuclear Friday, January 27, 2012 04:28 AM
By: Hiram Reisner.....Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton says Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s overture to begin discussions about Tehran’s foray into the world of nuclear power is just a stalling tactic, which he has used successfully in the past. Bolton also told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren Thursday that Ahmadinejad knows the West is not going to compromise on Iran’s quest to become a Middle Eastern nuclear power.
“Well, the only thing surprising or interesting is that this didn’t happen several years ago. You know, the Iranians over time have used negotiations to great effect to buy time to advance their nuclear weapons program, to gain legitimacy, as you say, to play the West — and I think he’s prepared to do it again,” Bolton said. “So this is a — from their point of view — this is an excellent opportunity to get the Europeans engaged, slow the momentum of sanctions and buy more time.
“He has no intention of giving up the uranium enrichment activity, has no intention of giving up the nuclear weapons program. He’s happy to try and induce the Obama administration and the Europeans to offer him concessions, to loosen sanctions, to postpone the effective day date of sanctions, to reduce sanctions already in place,” he said. “But there isn’t going to be any compromise on this — and he knows that. That’s the failure of the West, this obsession with getting back to the negotiating table without any clear idea of what even our objectives are once we sit down.”
Van Susteren then asked Bolton about the possible implications of Egypt preventing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s son, Sam, from leaving the country.
Sam LaHood works for one of three U.S.-based nonprofit groups in Cairo that were raided and shut down on Dec. 29 by Egyptian authorities, who accused the groups of using foreign funds to foment unrest.
“I think this is very serious — and not just because it’s a Cabinet secretary’s son, although we care about all of them,” Bolton said. “It’s the implicit threat that by not letting these people leave that they’re going to be subject to arrest for engaging in activities that were approved under the Mubarak government of democracy-building kinds of projects.
“So I think it’s not just the military I would look at here — I think I see the hand of the Muslim Brotherhood, as well,” he continued. “They’re trying to push out Western programs, U.S. in particular, that have helped democracy. And that’s not good — whether the military’s in back of this or the Muslim Brotherhood. It’s a very serious symbol, I think, of problems for the United States in the very near future.
“So I think this is a time for the administration — for now behind the scenes — but to go to the military, to go to the political leaders and say: You better stop this right now, or your entire foreign aid budget from the United States is going to be in jeopardy,” Bolton said. “If we can't draw the line at protecting our own citizens engaged in activities the government of Egypt knew about and approved about before, then we have little or no hope of exerting leverage over Egypt on things like the Camp David accords or the larger issue of peace and stability in the Middle East.”.....'
Bob K.| 1.27.12 @ 11:35AM
Too little, too late, Mr. Tabin!
You should have thought this out before you, along with all the other brainiacs writing for this publication, called for the removal of Mubarak in the pursuit of democracy for the Egyptians!
You people who have all the answers have all the answers to everything except: "If we do this, how will the laws of unintended consequences play out in this scenario?"
I know, I know! You think it is not needed. Your defense is your occupation. You are a Journalist, a Great Simplifier. All you have to do if things don't work out is defend your actions with a camouflage of verbal obfuscations and accusations.
Occam's Tool| 1.27.12 @ 11:40AM
I, of course, pointed out that removing Mubarak would go VERY BADLY.
Oldefarte| 1.27.12 @ 2:16PM
OT, my uneducated guess is that not only Egypt's governmental overthrow, but Libya's etc have been promoted and aided by our present government for a purposeful reason. These events are just too co-incidentally occurring now all at one time, and I think for a political reason. Possibly 11/4/08 has something to do with all of this!!!!!
Dixie Pixie| 1.27.12 @ 4:16PM
Greetings Occam's Tool.
I also remember pointing out the folly of Obama's Pee Wee League of amateur revolutionaries.
At the beginning of the “Arab Spring”, I wrote this was simply a rerun of the “Shah and Carter” Show.
So I was not surprised that the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafism groups captured over 70% in the recent elections and will be the primary writers of the next Egyptian Constitution.
Naturally Sharia Law will be the bases for the next constitution, thus enshrining Arab Supremacy and Bigotry, “Women Rights” to be a combination of a sex toy, breeding machine and household slave, and may even include a mandatory “Death to the Jews Clause”.
Of course the situation is going to get a lot worse.
The NYT promised “Jeffersonian Democrats” turned out to be Islamic Jehadists who only want to kill all the Jews and to subjugate the entire world to Islamic Rule.
But to Obama and his minions, nothing can go wrong as the most intelligent minds on the planet are controlling the crises.
Obama Foreign Policies are a “Great Success” according to the MSM.
Yes “Oldefarte”, Obama is behind the Sudan breakup, Egyptian uprising, Libyan Civil War, Syrian uprising, Hezbollah dominance of Lebanon, and the Tunisian Takeover.
Your revelation is another “Great Moment of DUH”
Clint| 1.27.12 @ 5:27PM
“Our military’s purpose is to defend our country, not to police the
Middle East.
“As the President prepares to send even more support to Egypt, we should
be reminded that it was our foreign aid that helped Mubarak retain power
to repress his people in the first place. Now we have to deal with the
consequences of those decisions, yet we keep repeating the same mistakes.
“I am not the only one who can see the absurdities of our foreign
policy. We give $3 billion to Israel and $12 billion to her enemies.
Most Americans know that makes no sense.
“We need to come to our senses, trade with our friends in the Middle
East (both Arab and Israeli), clean up our own economic mess so we set a
good example, and allow them to work out their own conflicts.”
Dai Alanye | 1.27.12 @ 1:51PM
Never mind the foreign aid, this is the time for an edict along the lines of "Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead."
It was, in fact, a mere political statement by Roosevelt's Secretary of State, but being accompanied by a movement of the Navy and Marines it had some effect. But is Obama up to even that?
Martin Owens| 1.27.12 @ 2:09PM
Having been a former colonial possession in all but name, the Egyptians are red-raw sensitive to the impression that they are stooges for any foreign power. That's what got the Russians thrown out.
And how would we feel if Saudi or Gulf-financed NGOs were to start proselytizing Islam and promoting Sharia law for America?If they went all-out to get Obama re-elected?
Clint| 1.27.12 @ 5:39PM
“Our military’s purpose is to defend our country, not to police the
Middle East.
“As the President prepares to send even more support to Egypt, we should
be reminded that it was our foreign aid that helped Mubarak retain power
to repress his people in the first place. Now we have to deal with the
consequences of those decisions, yet we keep repeating the same mistakes.
“I am not the only one who can see the absurdities of our foreign
policy. We give $3 billion to Israel and $12 billion to her enemies.
Most Americans know that makes no sense.
“We need to come to our senses, trade with our friends in the Middle
East (both Arab and Israeli), clean up our own economic mess so we set a
good example, and allow them to work out their own conflicts.”
Clint| 1.27.12 @ 5:40PM
Test
Clint| 1.27.12 @ 7:24PM
Test
Clint| 1.27.12 @ 7:52PM
Test
Dai Alanye | 1.28.12 @ 2:09PM
Please use the term "chickenhawk" when testing.