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Kerry: US Releasing Millions In Aid To Egypt, But With Promise Of Reform

Photo Credit: APSecretary of State John Kerry said Sunday the United States will give Egypt $250 million more in aid, following President Mohammed Morsi’s pledges for political and economic reforms. However, Kerry also said the Obama administration will hold Morsi, who came to power in June as Egypt’s first freely elected president, to his commitment.

“The American people want to see the political and economic success of our long-time partners and friends in Egypt,” Kerry said in Cairo. “We look forward to continuing to work closely with all Egyptians. But “it is clear that more hard work and compromise will be required to restore unity, political stability and economic health to Egypt.”

Egypt was one of Kerry’s first stops on his first tour of Arab nations since becoming secretary. Kerry will be meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, in the Saudi capital Riyadh Monday.

While in Saudi Arabia Kerry will also meet with Saudi and Gulf Arab officials for talks expected to focus on the crisis in Syria and fears about Iran’s nuclear program.

Kerry’s two days of meetings in Egypt have proven tense and fraught with political peril. “I expect a lot,” Egyptian Defense Minister Abdul Al-Sisi told Kerry on Sunday. Kerry replied: “I expect a lot from you.”

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Obama Admin Orchestrated The Arab Spring? (+video)

photo credit: ak rockefellerBy most accounts, the Arab Spring went horribly wrong. The democratic elections that swept away dictators—for the most part friendly to the United States—have produced Islamic totalitarian government.

Mohammed Morsi, president of Egypt, is probably the example par excellence. He quickly nullified the constitution, neutered the judiciary, shut down any media that was critical of his government—branded as critical of Allah—and set up a macabre torture chamber.

Barack Obama, who championed this Arab Spring and even helped the Arab Spring along by arming and supporting the Libyan “rebels” (who were for the most part linked to Al Qaeda), apparently didn’t see this coming.

But Barack Obama is only human. He didn’t envision, like many others, that the people throughout the Middle East and North Africa would elect totalitarian Islamists that would become the Unites States’ enemy, right?

Although it is odd that Obama has embraced Mohammed Morsi with open arms. Mohammed Morsi is part of an organization—the Muslim Brotherhood—that has vowed to destroy the United States.

Read more from this story HERE.

Texas GOP Congresswoman Blocks Obama’s Effort to Slip Egypt $450 Million

The Obama administration notified Congress on Friday that it would provide Egypt’s new government an emergency cash infusion of $450 million, but the aid immediately encountered resistance from a prominent lawmaker wary of foreign aid and Egypt’s new course under the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The aid is part of the $1 billion in assistance that the Obama administration has pledged to Egypt to bolster its transition to democracy after the overthrow last year of the former president, Hosni Mubarak. Its fate, however, was clouded by concerns over the new government’s policies and, more recently, the protests that damaged the American Embassy in Cairo.

The United States Agency for International Development notified Congress of the cash infusion on Friday morning during the pre-election recess, promptly igniting a smoldering debate over foreign aid and the administration’s handling of crises in the Islamic world.

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.

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Obama circumvents Congress again, giving $1.5 billion to Muslim Brotherhood

While President Barack Obama continually criticizes Congress publicly for not working with him, he rarely speaks of the times he just skips over their needed approvals to take actions in the international world.

Even though the United States Congress stopped any foreign aid via military aid to Egypt because the U.S. Congress has believed Egypt is not making progress on freedoms and human rights, Obama has allegedly granted $1.5 billion to the Muslim Brotherhood in that nation.

In spite of the fact that powerful persons in Egypt have spoken in very anti-American ways in the past, the president of the United States feels it necessary for the U.S. to assist them financially at a time when our country can obviously not afford to do so.

Since this story started making its way through the media months ago, of course, the Muslim Brotherhood has handily won the presidency in Egypt recently. The Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi is Egypt’s new president.

Though Obama did not publicly support a candidate in that election, his loyalties were clear. Washington insiders have suggested that Obama and his relation to the political powers in Egypt be scrutinized and monitored closely. Additionally, it has been repeatedly suggested – even by Obama’s own party members – that Obama’s free hand in giving handouts in the billions of dollars to foreign countries be monitored much more closely.

Read more from this story HERE.

Photo credit: Jonathan Rashad