US Lawmakers Question Wisdom of Withholding Aid to Egypt
October 30, 2013
Some U.S. lawmakers think President Obama's decision to withhold some military assistance to Egypt, pending what the administration calls "credible progress" toward a democratically-elected government following a July coup, may undermine U.S. security interests in the Middle East.
With the violence in Egypt continuing, Democratic Congressman Eliot Engel and other lawmakers are questioning the timing of Washington's decision to hold back major weapons from a long-time ally.
"The region is falling apart. Syria is spiraling out of control. Iran looms as a significant threat. It just seems to me it's not very wise to risk alienating our traditional allies and friends," said Engel.
Withholding tanks and attack helicopters punishes a military that toppled an increasingly-authoritarian Muslim Brotherhood-led government, said Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.
"We're hanging General [Abdel Fattah] al-Sissi and the people that we are applauding for defeating radical Islam in Egypt, we're leaving them hanging out to dry," said Rohrabacher.
Despite Rohrabacher’s comments, the administration has taken a more nuanced view of the ouster of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president. Since his overthrow, human rights groups have deplored the crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood supporters, mass arrests and other widespread abuses.
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