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Lefteris Pitarakis / AP File
Egyptian anti-government protesters gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square to watch a screen showing U.S. President Barack Obama live on a TV broadcast from Washington DC, speaking about the situation in Egypt on Feb. 2, 2011, in the midst of the revolution.
CAIRO – There is a local advertisement in the arrivals hall at Cairo International Airport. The ad shows a picture of Egypt's iconic Tahrir Square, packed during the revolution, with a quote from U.S. President Barack Obama: "We should raise our children to be like Egyptian youth.”
The quote from Obama was shortly after Egyptians had revolted and toppled long-time dictator and American ally Hosni Mubarak. The ad reflects a sense of pride Egyptians have about how they inspired the world, including the U.S. president. It also shows how a genuine acknowledgment from the U.S. goes a long way in Egypt.
But when it comes to their attitudes about America’s involvement in their country’s affairs, few Egyptians view the U.S. favorably, and or more importantly, with any trust.
U.S. seen as a meddler
Egypt's relationship with America goes back decades. But Egypt was cemented as a cornerstone of U.S. policy in the Middle East after its Camp David Peace Treaty with Israel. Following that, the U.S. bankrolled the Mubarak regime and the military that sustained the regime for 30 years.
That’s not lost on ordinary Egyptians. They may not know the intricacies of U.S. policy in Egypt, but intuitively they know that the U.S. backed and legitimized the man who oppressed them for three decades.
NBC News
Alaa El Din Mohamed, a taxi cab driver in Cairo, shares his views about the U.S..
So it should come as no surprise that most Egyptians view U.S. involvement in Egypt negatively.
A recent Gallup poll found 81 percent of Egyptians oppose American aid to political groups. And 84 percent of Egyptians surveyed doubt the U.S. is serious about spreading democracy in the region. The overwhelming majority of Egyptians reject both U.S. aid to civil society organizations and economic assistance to the country as a whole. They see U.S. aid as instruments used to manipulate Egypt’s domestic and foreign policies.
Alaa El Din Mohamed, a 34-year-old taxi driver, summed up his current views on the U.S.
“We are looking out for our country’s interests. For Egypt's interests we want stability, we want to work, we want to advance forward. We don't have any problems with the U.S., but we're just interested in our own country,” he said. “We want to be able to stand on our own two feet. We want to look forward and then afterwards we can think about the U.S.”
And yet, despite the negative attitude, the U.S. as a country and Americans as a people remain symbols of democracy, freedom and modernity in the eyes of many ordinary Egyptians.
NBC News speaks with citizens from around the globe, asking the question, 'What Does America Mean to You?'
“The U.S. is a developed, advanced country and organized. Everything there is civilized that's what comes to my mind in regards to the U.S.,” Hala Abdel Rahman, a 50-year-old housewife, said when asked about her impressions of the country. “We would hope and wish that Egypt can become a developed country like the U.S.”
Many Egyptians are still drawn to the idea of the U.S. as the “land of opportunity” with thousands going there yearly to pursue educational opportunities and seek a better life.
Living in America still resonates loudly with Egyptians who believe most Americans enjoy a decent quality of life. In fact, many here draw a distinction between Americans and American foreign policy.
NBC News
Mona Bayoumi had high hopes for U.S. President Barack Obama and how he could improve things in the Middle East, but she said she's been disappointed.
“America as a people and stuff are really good people, they have values and are good people,” said Mohamed, the cab driver. “But the most important thing is they don’t interfere in our country.”
Feeling let down by Obama
During the Egyptian revolution, I remember seeing a poster in Cairo’s Tahrir Square that read, “Yes We Can, Too,” playing off of Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign slogan that change is possible.
Today, many people in Egypt feel let down by Obama who they believe was slow to respond to the Egyptian people’s own calls for change during the revolution. Others believe Obama hasn’t followed through on his promise to change how the U.S. deals with the Middle East – from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to Iran.
Mona Bayoumi, a 25-year-old administrator a Cairo arts college, believes there is a gap between what the U.S. promises and what it does.
“At the beginning when President Obama first came, we had a lot of hope that things would improve and be fixed – especially with Iraq and Iran,” said Bayoumi. “But we waited for something to happen and we didn't see anything...To be honest nothing that we expected to happen happened and nothing that we wanted happened.”
In a country of 85 million people, gauging the public’s attitudes is always a challenge.
But the underlying principle in how Egyptians view the U.S. is simple. After decades of being on the receiving end of U.S. foreign policy that arguably didn’t improve the quality of their lives, nor advance their own interests, Egyptians want to chart their own future with as little help from Washington as possible.
Whether the U.S. lets them is a whole different question.
This story is part of a series by msnbc.com and NBC News "What the World Thinks of US". The series aims to check the pulse on current perceptions of America's global stature during the election year and ahead of our annual Independence Day.
Share your thoughts about this story and our series on Twitter using #AmericaMeans
Stories in the series:
How I see America, from a former Gitmo prisoner
Bye, bye, GI: Deep impact for many Germans as US troops downsize
Post-revolution Egypt to US: Stay out
Iran's dentist to the stars offers views on US
For many Pakistanis, 'USA' means 'drones'
One man's mission: Promote Chinese patriotism in the face of Western onslaught
In South Africa: 'My head says China is number one, my heart says America'
Not all Thais are Gaga about America
Family moves from the Bronx to Jerusalem, but US remains land of 'liberty and freedom'
Palestinian: US supports 'an apartheid system that is suffocating us'
Afghans are 'no different from any American
Leave a Comment:
The US should be overjoyed to stay out. We are way to involved in the Middle East already. About time to give it a rest. The US should pull out of the Middle East all together, it's LONG overdue.
Amen...We are happy to get out...let you illiterate, lazy muslims take care of your selves. Stop all aid, stop all tourism and please, please tear down that completly foolish quote from Obama, if there is any defining moment in his presidency that assinine quote has to be it! Not another dime from tourism, or aid to these people, get out now!
Well Jack, it doesnt rank up there with mission accomplished but it does seem not appliable anymore. Fine they want the US out. Good, there are a couple of billions saved from supporting this country. Pakistan you should have been first.
Sounds good to me too. Let's keep our money here and stay out of their business.
YES STAY THE F$%^ OUT !!!
Now if we can only get out of the rest of the middle east . Then we will be doing something really good. Let the bed sheets and towel heads fight it out amongst themselves.
I agree we should stop foreign aid to those countries living in the 14th century. And stay out of their wars
Really, Einstein? And then where would we get our precious oil from? Obama already cancelled the Canadian pipeline and he put a moratorium on off-shore drilling.
Yes, and American petroleum production is way up. Obama really cooked it, huh?
For now there is a problem with American oil hopefully it will be fixed in Nov. If we showed leadership in the middle east instead of acting like a colonial power we may not have this problem to the extent it is.
I do hope that if the US heeds the Egyptian call to stay out that we follow through. That means ending all visas and educational opportunities for Egyptians in this country. If they want to live under the Brotherhood, then let them do so. One problem this country has always had is that we refuse to let others live by their own choices. The US is the biggest enabler (in psychobabble terms) of allowing others to continue their destructive behavior. Let the Egyptians enjoy their freedoms under sharia law. Let them enjoy the prosperity that living under sharia law brings them. If they find that they are getting too prosperous for their own good, then they can choose to follow a different path.
The pipeline was not cancelled. It was merely delayed.
Sounds good to me. We should stay out of most of these countries and stop sending them hundreds of millions in US aid dollars. The US tax payer has become the financial supporter of a majority of third world governments and their militaries and we gain little in return because if they could they'd destroy us in a breath.
Great, they do not want our money then our government should immediately stop sending it to them. I am sure we can put those billions to better use helping people here in our own country. Congress should immediately cut off all foreign aid to Egypt.
This is great! Stop the flow of funds, let them make their way as they wish and use the funds to reduce the deficit. This is the first thing we should do to balance the budget, stop the funds flowing to foreign countries not reduce the funds here at home. I am all for giving to the less fortunate, we just need to start at home.
I guess the Egyptians being quoted don't read what some people on these boards have to say about them.
"The US should pull out of the Middle East all together, it's LONG overdue."
Sure, but before you all go crazy about this idea, take a good look at a map and see where the Suez canal is located. Now, see why we have an interest in what's going on in Egypt?
The Egyptian people really screwed up by electing this Islamic regime. If this "Islamic" government does what it's threatening to do against Israeli and the United States, Egypt could easily end up a smoldering ruin......... Hopefully It won't come to that and hopefully it won't take long before Egyptians realize that the"Islamic Brotherhood" is just like the Republican Party in America both organizations are very good at selling nothing but hateful rhetoric and lies. If and when the do they realize the mistake they made they still have enough freedom left to kick these fanatics to the curb.
Well, they've really stopped most tourism because it is too dangerous. When we were there in 2010, we had an armed convoy from Alexandria to the Pyramids. It was a mess. They do not have traffic laws, only suggestions. There are dead animals floating in the Nile. The food tastes good, but we had Tut's Revenge for three days after.
So, my thought is to give them no more aid, neither humanitarian nor (and most importantly) no military aid. But, give them good wishes that they overcome this Brotherhood government because the women of Egypt deserve better.
Music to MY ears! And in return I'd like to say: Egyptians, go EFF yourselves. Enjoy your Muslimofascist Booberhood; you deserve each other.
Pizz on all of them, I say.
lol I think politically the U. S. government hasn't made an issue. It's the media who has.
Right Hotticket.Let's just take our ball and go home and sulk.That'll show 'em who's boss.If it doesn't maybe we can hold our breath and turn blue.That always works.
Most of us want to stay out of most of the Muslim nations!
What do the Hillarys, Liebermann and Jewish lobby say?
standingwave, don't you sound all mature and stuff. If you want to call it "take our ball and go home and sulk" that's what you can call it.
Nobody on the thread including Hotticket is wanting to be "boss". Most just want to not see our hard earned money go to taxes that are just given to Egypt, no matter how much influence it buys, or doesn't buy.
I couldn't care less if they elect muslims, it's their friggin country, let them do what they want as long as they're not hurting us.
And to those who say the muslim brotherhood wants to hurt us, let them try, I think we can take em, but that doesn't give us the right to meddle in their affairs.
Fine, We will stay out and no more military hardware, no more oil production tech equipment, no food aid, no tech aid at all ( they don't need that stuff anyhow seeing they still live in the 14th century and women are 2nd class citizens). You egyptians are free to run your country into the ground based on fanatical religious beliefs. Just don't come crawling back to us with your hand out looking for aid. You all can pound sand. That you have plenty of.
lets take that money and use it to protect are american borders
What makes you all think Obama will stop sending out money to the Middle East? The Muslim party that just took over in Eqypt was just a few weeks ago being welcomed in our Whitehouse. As to those who really believed Obama would bring Democracy to them, they should have paid attention to his reduction of rights here and his disdain for our own Constitution. Then they would have know he wants Socialism, sharing the wealth and all that good baloney not Democracy where people have to take care of themselves.
BigAl Las Vegas
Wouldn't be part of the union would you Al? Freedoms here are being lost by the day as Obama and Holder hold thier own kind of law above our Constitution. Socialism is not for America and no amount of BS against the Republicans is going to get the big O error re-elected so he can finish wiping out our own Republic and replaceing it with Socialism.
If this was not so sad, it would almost be comical. The large Middle East countries are, in effect saying, we will take as much of your aid money as we can get from you but we will stab you in the back when we can and have to. This has especially been shown with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and finally Israel.
Everyone, Contact your Congressman and tell them to stop aid immeadiately to the Egyptians. THey want us to stay out we need to send the message to US Representatives from its constituents as well.
If America "lets them." Who are they to "let" anybody?
I totally agree stay out of egypt. stop all aid and the billions of dollars we have been sending over there and for what to keep them from attacking israel ! they did nothing with the money to make thier country better, create jobs make life easier for men women and children . israel is a strong country with a outstanding millitary . muslims are not disaplined people they are chaotic , thugs and lazy cowards . dont allow them in our country to get educated, make a life and then turn on americans like we ARE the scum of the earth . send them all back and we need to stay out of all thier countries . it is time they stood on thier own 2 feet and stop depending on us and anyone else cause when they dont like certain things pull a tantrum and say we are the bad guys . these countries for hundreds of years have been controled by others cause they are like children .... so grow up . most americans dont want involment as much as you dont want it . but dont come crawling back to us for help and money if you all cant get it together . you muslims cant even stop killing each other ?????? you kill your children , abuse your women ...... personally I am sick of reading about it and I am done with it now if our goverment will come to thier senses and do the same .
people whining about the oil OMG what will we do hey we are americans we will get through it . in a few years if the muslims continue to act the way they are now , all will be dead and the rest of the world has all the oil it is a win/win situation .
Most of you are a sleep. It is the US who wants to continue to control Middle East and the rest of the world. Your quality of life will fall the moment Saudi Kingdom falls to democracy. This is because Saudi Arabia guarantees the value of the dollar by ensuring that OPEC sells OIL in US dollars. In return USA keeps the Saudi family in power. Similar games are in play in very country. American empire is well and alive, standing tall on the shoulders of it's slave states across the globe. But one day these slaves will rise just like we rose up against the British. Then slavery will be no more.
Stop all aid to all foreign countries, including Israel. Everytime we do something for another country they end up resenting us. The last time the Israeli's prime minister came here they insulted the President (inexcusable whether he' Democrat or Republican). And the Arab regimes may appreciate us but their people don't. And look at the Pakistanis--they're playing both sides of the fence. We are perceived as a bully because we are a bully. Right now we're trying to tell the Iranians what to do as the Israeli's play the public relations game and constantly harp that Iran is a threat so they can get gingoists to feel the same way. Out of the Middle East. Think about the old saying, familiarity breeds contempt. Let's take care of our own first.
Let's clear up this Canadian Pipeline $hit. The Canadians want to build a Pipeline from us to them. Canada does not have 1 refinery in there country. It does not create any jobs for us. There will be a few people working on this PROJECT. Once a project is complete that is the end of the ride.
Most countries view the U.S. as meddlesome.
So, stop cashing the foreign aid checks and military aid checks and we can't meddle! Left to their own devices most of the people living in many countries that don't like us would have starved long ago. 90 million people living in Egypt most on the US dime. Egypt and Israel recieve one third of all US aid. Don't like us return the check!
I agree, time to start sending the NSF notices.
Wheels460 they may think we are meddlesom but they love that welfare check we send (Foreign Aid)
Its time we pulled out all together let the 14 century (backward) countries fend for them selfs
Not really. The welfare check doesn't really end up with the common people. It stays with the elite.
For example, we 'give' the Egyptian army over a billion dollars in 'aid' per year. But the aid is actually expected to be used to buy weapons from US defense contractors. So the weapons that would be used by the Egyptian army to kill Egyptians. This is what our 'aid' is good for.
Of course, this aid will continue to be given, no matter what - because the defense contractors have powerful lobbyists and they want Egypt to continue buying their weapons from them. Our real problem is that our system is also corrupt.
With their hands out at the same time.
They view us as meddlesome because we are meddlesome. We spend more money on Diplomacy/Foreign Aid then we do on Science, Space and Technology funding. Might be the reason we're far behind many countries in science and math education.
Good comment Byron.The US NEVER gives aid without some return on it's investment.
Hope many are coming down to the reality!
Still it does not seem to get into the heads of those who want actions on Syria and Iran!
US, Britain, and many European nations are in a economic mess due to greedy Saudi and oil companies high oil price manipulations using Iraqi wars as an excuse.
1. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and other rich ME sharks became richer by manipulating oil prices too high.
2. Oil companies and their lobbyists also benefitted. Oil prices, which were hardly $30 a barrel before 1991, shot up to $140 a barrel.
3. Since 2003, future traders, rating agencies, Wall Street and oil companies and their lobbyists transferred five trillion dollars from oil importing countries to oil exporting nations.
4. Rich Sunni ME sharks (Saudi Arabia in particular) funded Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques and Islamic radicals and terrorists all over the world. These Sunni Islamic radicals and terrorists are rampaging all over the world. World’s 80 percent of problems are due to them.
PIIGS and heavy US debts are due to Iraqi and Afghan wars!
Even imposing sanctions on Iranian oil by some meaningless inventions like in Iraq and manipulating oil prices from $40 in 2009 to current $100 levels is having its impact.
In Egypt, Saudi Salaffi, MB are behind the scene active players. They will be gradually become stronger and stronger.
What a way to sink monies in Islamic religious mad ME Muslim nations.
There are time when we need to focus inside instead of taking sides as Saudis and Jewish lobby want in Syria, Iran and other places.
There are many of us in the USA that would agree with the Mr. Mohamed; other countries should control their own events. We would also like to see less of our money going overseas, as we have issues of our own. We are happy for people who find their own way to freedom and self-determination. Most of us have never had any desire to bankroll tyrants; we are frequently enough lied to by our own government (not restricted to one party or the other), and know that we must operate within our laws and Constitution.
We wish the Egyptians the best of luck in their search for democracy and freedom.
Fantastic! Done. Or should be done if we didn't have such feckless leaders in Washington D.C.
Let's see now. They want a country free and organized like the US, but they elect a muslim brotherhood parliament and president. That does not compute. The muslim brotherhood said last year, they want to immediatley go to war with Israel and wipe it off the map, then they want to establish a sharia government, which is anything but free. They are like a bunch of two year olds. The military however, is not going to allow the muslim brotherhood to actually exert any power, so the only logical conclusion to that is civil war. We need to back out of there and just watch. It's none of our business as long as they are fighting amongst themselves. Kinda like Syria.
Sure it does. Look at the choices they had; a Muslim Brotherhood candidate or one of Hosni Mubarak's former officials (read same regime they fought to free themselves from). As an American you should be quite familiar with "lesser of two evils" elections.
The US Govt's misguided foreign policy of supporting (for decades) various dictatorships and pseudo-democracies, empowering police states and corrupt monarchies across the Islamic world out of some sense of "the end justifies the means" perverted twisted logic in which we have trampled all over our supposed sacred values and democratic freedoms has served to drive a significant percentage of the populations in these countries into the arms of religious fundamentalists and/or extremists.
Desperate people will resort to desperate measures.
America carries considerable culpability. While Egyptians as a whole make a generous distinction between American citizens and our government, I'm not sure we deserve such a benign judgement as citizens in a democracy.
And it is not shocking that the Egyptians have elected Morsi. What is shocking is the number of votes Shafiq received. The democratic will of nations reflected in free and fair elections remains valid even if they reflect choices different from what a majority who live in another nation, near or far, might wish for.
As Americans we would do well to exercise our patriotic duty at the ballot box to turn out of office those representatives which foster a foreign policy based on interference, exploitation, and militaristic adventurism, even seeking to supplant self-determination; and instead elect representatives who seek to engage the rest of the world driven by principle, integrity, human rights, developing relationships with other nations that are mutually beneficial and create value for all.
Living in an "either/or" world is a choice. A misguided one. The alternative is a "both/and" world.
It should be self-evident to all Americans by now that we cannot afford the engage the rest of the world embodying some beligerent country western song seeking to plant a cowboy boot in the backside of everyone else.
We've already paid an enormous amount of tuition as a nation. Time to graduate.
1. Israels Netanyahos will have a good bunch to match in Egypt. Sometimes, trying to be too smart than one can be will hurt badly too!
2. Can people see at least what is going on in Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan?
3. Plans of drone attacks on Assad or some of other video war plans on Syria and Iran, "Assad out in three days", Saddam's Iraq out and mission accomplished and so on brave attack plans are not working!
4. Hope people can realize that one, however great one may be, can't do much in Islamic religious mad places.
5. Is it not time to keep miles away from Syria, Iran and other nations shown on the map by Saudis, oil companies, Jewish lobbyists?
But they'll certainly cash our checks.
That's quite allright! Be happy to oblige! But, just as a bit of a side note, y'all stay out of Israel also, would you, please!
I agree with Mr Mohamed. We should stay out of Egyptian affairs and quit trying to buy influence with US taxpayer dollars.
America has never won a foreign civil war ( and we should have never gotten involved with them) and is unlikely to do so in the future!
business guy:
your first sentence --------------- will never happen
2nd) who is america & who is "we"
third - its besine$$
The last sentence of the article is very telling. "Whether the U.S. lets them is a whole different question.". Not since Hitlers Germany has there been a country so involved in the affairs of others worldwide. It is time for the US to realize that the world does not belong to us. We should take care of our country and our borders, and let the rest of the world deal with their own problems. The rewards and/or consequences will be their own and they will not have us to blame for their situations.
I like your comment - Watch 'Firewall' on YouTube. Some of it is quite interesting relative to your comment. It's to bad that normal, civilized, non-violent people are harmed by certain 'powers'.
I agree that the U.S. needs to stay out of other countrys' business. We have far too many problems of our own to be all up in their problems. Unless and until any other country asks for our help, don't offer it.
Great, lets cut off all aid. They don't want it, won't appreciate it. Let's feed and clothe our own citizens.
Agree to some extent. Remember though, a gift with strings attached is not really a gift!
I agree with Widgetsx3 ! Stop all aid and let them sink or swim on their own. We can use the money here in the U S.
So what did you expect from a muslim country, thanks? Anybody heard appreciation from Libya for helping them overthrow Khadafy? Not very likely!
Best thing we can do, Egypt, Syria, Libya, the whole screaming mess, is to cut off all aid - they are already sucking us dry on oil exports, let them buy their own arms and food. Surely the loving and peaceful muslimes will help each other!
Wow, another opportunity to cut foreign aid and help with deficit spending.
I wish our government would keep its nose out of all other countries business. It just ticks off a whole lot of people and uses to much of our tax dollars. Like most comments on here, our people need it to re-build what is fast falling apart here.
The US moves out and China, Russia and Iran move in. Is that what we want? Egypt could certainly get nuclear technology from Iran and Russia. I am sure Israel and those in the region that support the US would like that...not.
Who gives a damn! At 61 years of age and career military, I'm sick and tired of the same old "fight them over there so we don't have to fight them over here" and "in our national interest" or "domino theory". We're still trying to control every "banana republic" out there at a cost (including offensive military spending) that will turn us into a "banana republic". The only ones that profit from our "adventures" are defense contractors, oil companies and corporations that support them.
America can function in quasi-autarkic mode. Let's do it.
This article is just common sense, but Americans need to hear this. Contrary to the impression some want give of Egyptians and others (the Egyptians just happen to be one of the few peoples that really receive a great deal of aid from the US) they are not ungrateful sponges. Just the opposite, they would prefer not to have aid with strings attached but basically admire our society and way of life. The aid was given so that Egypt would conduct its foreign policy in a manner pleasing to Israel. Just because they may not do this in the future does not have to mean war. People can disagree with us without being our enemies. Let the Eguptians find their own path, save the aid money.
It's amazing how many people in so many countries like Americans even while fearing and mistrusting our government.Reading these comments however,make me wonder whether their generosity to us is deserved.What I see more and more in the US is a country of people that seemingly hate everybody for no better reason than because others see things from their own veiwpoint,not ours, and show concern for their own,not our, needs and interests.What happened to us?
The real damage is coming to their tourist industry, which was very important to them. OH, well. Disney World, here we come.
Yes. Come to think of it, what other reason would a Westerner not on official business have for going to Egypt?
"Sees Thru... very little" -
You've obviously never "seen" Egypt. For those of us "Westerners" who have made many visits, we could provide you with a lengthy list of good reasons to go again. However, given your attitude I'm sure the locals won't miss you; and I won't be disappointed if I don't bump into you when I'm there next.
Feeling let down by Obama?
During the Egyptian revolution, I remember seeing a poster in Cairo's Tahrir Square that read, "Yes We Can, Too," playing off of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign slogan that change is possible.
They shouldn't feel let down because he promised the American people 'Change' and all we got was 'The Shaft'
Good. Let them take care of themselves. Besides.. it's basically going to turn into another Iran soon anyways.
"We should raise our children to be more like Egyptian youth"? Obama really said THAT during the revolution? Oh, good grief! The Republicans will be dancing in the streets over THAT one.
Much better for our children to just sit back,get fat and accept eveything they're told.Do not question,do not think and for God's sake don't protest.
Didn't Obama also say if he had a son that he would like him to be like Trayvon Martin?
No, hwe didn't. You got that one wrong.
tHow wonderful to hear. Its about time the losers of egypt stood on their own feet.
Now we can keep our funding out of your @!$%#hole country as well.
From the very beginning, Obama has been supporting a faction that hates Americans.
Way to go.
I didn't reaslize that Egypt had no assistence from this country before Obama. Yet since 2000, the aid to that country has DROPPED 200 million to 500 million a year. Bush had NO PROBLEM SENDING THEM 2 BILLION A YEAR.
Actually the economic aid is what was decreased by the Obama administration. The Military aid remained flat at 1.3 Billion.
I think this is a good thing that Egypt is no interested in US assistance anymore. Saves the US 1.55 Billion for people that don't like us anyway. I am sure their Islamic brothers will be happy to step up and support them.
Remember if it wasn't for their oil resources they would all be living the lifestyle they say they want.
Another successful "reset" of our foreign policy.
In fact a very successful reset. In contrast, a Republican administration would have continued to prop up Mubarak's brutal dictatorship.
And we will continue to do business with Egypt because we have interests in Egypt. Don't forget guys that Egypt controls the Suez canal, and if they close it down, all the maritime commerce would have to turn and go around Africa. So, whether we like their attitude or not, we need that canal open.
justiceforall...
We have interest in Egypt just like anywhere else, and if they close it down for us we'll just have to pay a little more for the inconvenence !! This is what islamist do and it's a matter of time before this just might happen. But it also means our enemies wont have the same pleasures they seem to think they'll get out of this if we help keep it closed to everyone...!!