Thursday, January 26, 2012

Obama aide compares Muslim Brotherhood takeover of Egypt to end of Cold War in 1989, says Congress let US tax dollars flow freely then, why not now?

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Obama aide says Egypt needs more US taxpayer aide because the Muslim Brotherhood "need to deliver results."

1/25/12, "Obama set to speed aid to Egypt: official," Reuters, Strobel from Davos

"Undersecretary of State Robert Hormats, part of a U.S. delegation that held unprecedented talks last week with Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, said Washington wanted to provide "more immediate benefits" to Egyptians, who earlier this month conducted their first democratic elections in decades....

Under the plan, some non-urgent U.S. aid slated for other countries - he did not name them - would be redirected to Egypt. And funding in the pipeline for long-term programs in Egypt
would be shifted to quick-impact projects, he said....

Congress approved $1.3 billion in military aid to Egypt for the current fiscal year, but with conditions attached. It also approved $250 million in economic aid, as well as an "enterprise fund" of up to $60 million....

When the Cold War ended in 1989 and it was clear which anti-Communist leaders would take power in former Soviet bloc states, Congress was quick to provide backing "without a lot of cajoling," Hormats noted....

Hormats described the half-dozen Brotherhood officials he met with as "very pragmatic. They understand, they're the majority party now in the parliament. They are going to be the primary political party in Egypt.

"And their focus primarily is on small- and medium-enterprise" as generators of job creation, he said....

Along with formal government assistance to Egypt, the Obama administration is promoting expanded trade ties; supporting efforts by the International Monetary Fund to reach an agreement with Cairo; and encouraging U.S. firms to explore investment.

A U.S. business mission led by General Electric (GE.N) is headed to Egypt next month, Hormats said." via Weasel Zippers


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