U.S. funding for Egyptian military to resume, senior administration officials say

[simsim elmasry]

U.S. funding for Egyptian military to resume, senior administration officials say




By William Wan, Published: March 16


The Obama administration intends to resume funding for Egypt’s military, despite congressional restrictions and objections from human rights and democracy advocates.
For months, the money for Egypt — more than $1.5 billion, with the bulk earmarked for the military — has been withheld amid that country’s *****down on pro-democracy groups, including several U.S.-based organizations with close ties in Washington.















A law passed by Congress in December forbids funding unless the State Department certifies that Egypt is making progress in basic freedoms and human rights.
But Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is close to announcing plans to bypass those restrictions on national security grounds for fear of worsening already fraying ties with Egyptian leaders and disrupting American jobs and U.S. defense contracts that make up the bulk of the military aid, according to senior administration officials and others, who have been briefed on the deliberations but were not authorized to speak publicly.
The plan, which could be announced as early as next week and was first reported Friday by the New York Times, would not hand over the full $1.5 billion all at once, as has been the practice for decades. It would instead dole out smaller portions in order to preserve leverage over Egyptian officials and maintain ongoing defense contracts, officials said. And with a presidential election coming in Egypt, U.S. officials are hesitant to release the full amount until they see what kind of government will be receiving the money.
The plan comes after weeks of crisis caused by criminal charges filed by Egyptian authorities against several U.S. pro-democracy workers and those from other countries. The charges provoked heated condemnation from U.S. leaders. That immediate dilemma was resolved this month, when Egypt allowed the foreign workers to leave the country after posting bail. But the criminal charges remain against them as well as Egyptian staff employed by the same nonprofit organizations.
According to administration and congressional officials, a key group that has been lobbying behind the scenes to resume the funding has been the defense industry, which eager to keep lucrative contracts attached to the annual aid. The Pentagon, which does not want to risk its ties with the Egyptian military, one of its major allies in the region, also has pressed for the funding to be released.
“There’s been enormous pressure from the Pentagon to unfreeze something before payments to contractors go past due,” said Tom Malinowski, Washington director for Human Rights Watch. “But this whole argument that American jobs are at stake just is not appropriate here when we’re talking about human rights. This sends the wrong message that the crisis is over and has been solved.
The plan is also likely to draw strong criticism from Capitol Hill, which has been highly critical of Egypt’s recent treatment of nongovernmental organizations and protesters.
Aides for Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), who led the congressional move to attach the new restrictions on Egypt’s funding, said he was deeply disappointed. “He hopes the secretary doesn’t issue the waiver because he believes the conditions imposed by the certification are what continue to prod the Egyptian government in the right direction,” a spokesman for Leahy said
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