You Can't Buy Democracy
The Obama administration pledged $1 billion in assistance to Egypt to "bolster its transition to democracy after the overthrow last year of the former president, Hosni Mubarak," writes Steven Lee Meyers in the NYT. Now they want to give them an emergency cash infusion of $450 million (as part of the $1 billion):
An influential Republican lawmaker, Representative Kay Granger of Texas, immediately announced that she would use her position as chairwoman of the House appropriations subcommittee overseeing foreign aid to block the distribution of the money. She said the American relationship with Egypt "has never been under more scrutiny" than it is in the wake of the election of President Mohamed Morsi, a former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood."I am not convinced of the urgent need for this assistance and I cannot support it at this time," Ms. Granger said in a statement that her office issued even before the administration announced the package.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaking at a meeting of the Group of 8 nations in New York, said on Friday that the world needed to do more to support the governments that have emerged from the Arab Spring uprisings, including those in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia.
"The recent riots and protests throughout the region have brought the challenge of transition into sharp relief," Mrs. Clinton said, without mentioning the assistance to Egypt specifically. "Extremists are clearly determined to hijack these wars and revolutions to further their agendas and ideology, so our partnership must empower those who would see their nations emerge as true democracies."
Because our meddling has worked so well in Iran, Iraq, and the rest of these countries.
And check this out:
The $1 billion in aid, announced by Mr. Obama in May 2011, was initially intended to relieve Egypt's debts to the United States, though negotiations stalled during the country's turbulent transition from military rule to the election of Mr. Morsi this summer.
We're giving them money...because they have yet to pay back money they owe us?
Who does this -- who does not have an IQ lower than the drinking age?
Psst, I bet there are 450,000 potholes in Los Angeles.
UPDATE: Turley blogs, "2000 Dead in Afghanistan":
Despite Obama's promise of the withdrawal of U.S. forces, American, NATO and allied troops are still dying in Afghanistan at a rate of one a day. We are years into Obama term and we still have thousands of troops in a country where we are widely viewed as enemies and continue to spend billions as our own cities and states shutdown basic public programs for lack of money.
Haven't we been giving Egypt (meaning Mubarak) about $2 billion per year for the past twenty years anyway? Over-the-table, typical foreign aid?
Anyone know where to look this up?
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at September 30, 2012 10:30 PM
Because our meddling has worked so well in Iran, Iraq, and the rest of these countries
This. Also, we have so much money to spend...
It's called "mind your own business". This is a concept that no American politician has understood for at least the past 100 years.
Lastly, anyone who believe that this money will not end up in the private pockets of corrupt politicians is utterly naive.
a_random_guy at October 1, 2012 12:09 AM
Yes, Crid, we have been. Is this an extra billion?
NicoleK at October 1, 2012 12:11 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/01/you_cant_buy_de.html#comment-3350534">comment from a_random_guyOf course, the Obama admin is just the latest to throw billions of our tax dollars at nations that hate us.
Amy Alkon at October 1, 2012 6:57 AM
You can't buy Democracy?
What the hell makes anyone think that's either what the Obama admin is buying or wants to buy? Just leaving our country in a deeper financial hole is reason enough for him to give away the money, giving aid to our enemies is just Double Bonus Overtime for the marxists.
Storm Saxon's Gall Bladder at October 1, 2012 7:25 AM
Sixth row.
Crid [Cridcomment at Gmail] at October 1, 2012 9:00 AM
I said it before and I'll say it again: Let's STOP giving them money and let them hate us for free.
Flynne at October 1, 2012 9:22 AM
So, you'd rather have Saddam in power?
Before you answer that, consider what Iran's nuclear weapons program would look like with an unrestrained Saddam in power.
Then think about what would happen if the Straits of Hormuz were to be closed for, say, three months.
Unfortunately, international relations is almost always having to choose the least bad option from a bad lot.
Jeff Guinn at October 1, 2012 9:36 AM
I appreciate Flynne's pissed-off-edness. But....
A lot of times you will hear people say such-and-such is only a tiny part of our government's budget. But foreign aid truly is a speck of our money, and we truly ought to be putting it out there to make other people's lives go better.
Flynne is right to argue that's not what we've been doing with it.
Crid [Cridcomment at Gmail] at October 1, 2012 10:21 AM
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