Why not cut US funding of the Egyptian Military?

[denem]

The US gives 1.3 billion per year to Egypt for funding its Military. This is the amount agreed in the Camp David Accords. 1978. It was primarily compensation for terminating Soviet aid, and a nice little earner for US Arms industry.

The 1.3 billion became a formal obligation following the Egypt - Israeli Peace Treaty, 1979. It was 1.3 billion, it still is 1.3 billion- less than a third in real terms cf the 1978 level. By comparison Egyptian GDP is $470 billion and the US provides more than 3 billion in military aid to Israel. That amount is not fixed.

The US has a proud history of walking away from treaty obligations when the 'imperatives' of the day suit them. It's only a legal obligation signed by Jimmy Carter. Fuck 'em.

[BeFree]

1. Kick

Defunding them makes perfect sense.

[maryf]

2. Why not indeed...

I'm sure the ptb would give lots of reasons, but it sure would help the people in the streets, k&r

[Codeine]

3. Because the military isn't the problem.

The regime and the internal security services are the issue, and it looks like the Egyptian military isn't going to do much to support those elements. Maintaining military aid and embracing the new government as it is formed will be more important than any short-term statement we could make by defunding the folks who - at the moment - do not seem to bear the majority of the blame for the situation.

[TheWraith]

5. Bingo. Also, this is going to be over long before the money could get there. nt

[SoCalDem]

6. that, and the fact that if we do not "give" them deals on weaponry & training

(that's really the aid we give them) they will buy those things elsewhere.

[social_critic]

4. We could cut aid to Egypt and Israel

That would save money. The money we use to buy weapons for these two can be used to subsidize an intelligent power grid and more wind power. Everybody wins.

[Ozymanithrax]

7. The military has not opposed the protests,

In fact, it has quietly supported them.

Taking away the support of the military is a direct attack on an institution that is not the problem.

[customerserviceguy]

8. We might, but it's the one lever we have

Since the military is the only trusted, stabilizing influence there, cutting off the funding means that they need to find something else to do besides sit there like a guard dog on the porch. If a militant Islamic government tried to take over, the military would move to stop it, because it knows that the spigot is being turned off.

[Codeine]

9. Much like the Turkish military,

the Egyptian army may prove the great stabilizing force in the wake of this upheaval.