Why do we send Egypt all that military aid?

[cali]

Some here will argue that it's to keep Egypt from attacking Israel- though of course we arm Israel to the teeth too. That may be part of it, though it's far from a sure bet that Egypt would attack Israel if we didn't send them all that stuff. So what are the other reasons?

Guess.

The United States gives Egypt about $1.3 billion in military aid each year. And, so far this year, the Obama administration has been unwilling to cut off those funds — even in the midst of a violent military crackdown that has left more than 525 dead.

So here’s one question worth exploring: Just how important is all that aid to Egypt, anyway? NPR’s Julia Simon recently did some reporting on that exact question. It seems that in many cases, Egypt receives far more weaponry than it could possibly use:

The U.S. started sending M1A1 Abrams tanks to Egypt in the late ’80s. In all, the U.S. sent more than 1,000 tanks to Egypt since then — valued at some $3.9 billion — which Egypt maintains along with several thousand Soviet-era tanks.

“There’s no conceivable scenario in which they’d need all those tanks short of an alien invasion,” Shana Marshall of the Institute of Middle East Studies at George Washington University, told me. …

<snip>

But then why do we keep sending all these tanks and jets? One possible answer is that it helps create jobs here in the United States:

The U.S. wants Egypt to have them in part because of people like Bruce Baron, president of Baron Industries, a small business in Oxford, Mich. “The aid that we give to Egypt is coming back to the U.S. and keeping 30 of my people working,” Baron told me. Specifically, he said, 30 of his 57 employees are working on parts for the M1A1 Abrams tanks that we give to Egypt.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/08/15/the-u-s-sends-egypt-more-military-aid-than-it-can-possibly-use/

[unblock]

1. replace "creates JOBS in the united states" with "creates PROFITS in the united states"

yes, it does create jobs in the united states, but that's not WHY they do it. they do it so the defense industry can show their gratitude for the extra profits by contributing to political campaigns of those who support such aid.

[cali]

2. spot on. thanks for pointing that out.

[dipsydoodle]

4. aka recycling your tax into the MIC

Its a scam

[mwrguy]

3. Those protesters aren't going to napalm themselves

[leftstreet]

5. $1.3 billion isn't very much money

The price tag on the recent Nimitz class aircraft carrier 'George-I'm-about-to-croak-Bush' cost $4.5 billion

I think they're playing us with this 'cutting off aid' meme

No proof - just seems fishy

[cali]

7. actually it translates into a large amount of military hardware

nothing fishy about it.

[KoKo]

12. It's A LOT of MONEY to an Impoverished Nation, though.

And that's how we tend to fund nations which are Strategic to our Nation. It's by funding their Military or Insurgents or whomever we find that protects our "Interests."

It sounds small compared to Wall Street Fraud or what US Hedge Funds bring in ....but, to people have food & water shortages and have huge unemployment...that's an awful lot of money.

[KamaAina]

6. We're still paying for Camp David

which also answers the question, partially at least, "Why do we send Israel all that military aid?"

[KoKo]

8. Obama says it's in our National Interest... He did cancel the Military Exercises

and gave a threat in his Speech yesterday to Egypt. Here's a link for some. The rest is at the link:

-----

Obama: 'Cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed, rights rolled back'

Published on Aug 15, 2013

After security forces attempted to forcibly shut down Pro-Morsi sit-ins, the country erupted into chaotic violence that has left hundreds dead and thousands injured. President Barack Obama addressed press from Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

Let me make one final point. America cannot determine the future of Egypt. That's a task for the Egyptian people. We don't take sides with any particular party or political figure. I know it's tempting inside of Egypt to blame the United States or the West or some other outside actor for what's gone wrong.

We've been blamed by supporters of Morsi; we've been blamed by the other side as if we are supporters of Morsi. That kind of approach will do nothing to help Egyptians achieve the future that they deserve. We want Egypt to succeed. We want a peaceful, democratic, prosperous Egypt. That's our interest. But to achieve that, the Egyptians are going to have to do the work.

We recognize that change takes time and that a process like this is never guaranteed. There are examples in recent history of countries that are transitioned out of a military government towards a democratic government. And it did not always go in a straight line and the process was not always smooth.

There are going to be false starts. There will be difficult days. America's democratic journey took us through some mighty struggles to perfect our union. From Asia to the Americas, we know that democratic transitions are measured not in months or even years but sometimes in generations.

So in the spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect, I want to be clear that America wants to partner in Egyptian people's pursuit of a better future. And we are guided by our national interest in this long-standing relationship. But our partnership must also advance the principles that we believe in and that so many Egyptians have sacrificed for these last several years, no matter what party or faction they belong to.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023466662

[KoKo]

10. I thought the Leahey/Graham Bill said we can't fund the Military?

Last edited Thu Aug 15, 2013, 08:30 PM - Edit history (1)

there was a link somewhere here about that. I thought it a VERY ODD Coalition...

Wish I had the link.

[Motown_Johnny]

9. So the Government can funnel money into the MIC, then

send the equipment they bought, at inflated prices, to countries to secure the interests of big oil and other multi-national corporations.


Any excuse will do.

[KoKo]

11. Brian Becker Co-ordination Spokesperson of A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition

was just on RT with Abby Martin talking about this issue and he said that US needs to CUT OFF MILITARY FUNDING for Egyptian Army to Stop the Violence.

He did mention that that would hurt JOBS in America.