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No shock here. These traitors in this admin march on.
WASHINGTON, March 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton approved $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt, waiving congressionally mandated democratic reform conditions.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Clinton waived the conditions based on U.S. national security interests and a goal of maintaining a strategic partnership with Egypt, Voice of America reported Friday.
As long as Egypt follows the rules set by the 1979 Egypt-Jordan-Israel-USA Treaty, then Egypt will continue to by funded. This is paid through USAID, but it is not funded by it. Congress can make all the laws they want, but it means nothing in relation to treaties.
You know...it really would help if you'd take the time to understand how your government works and just what Congress authorized the Secretary of State to do before you go off calling people traitors. Of course, that would require you to be actually interested in the TRUTH and be committed to FAIRNESS when it concerns the Obama administration, wouldn't it?
But, I suppose that would be asking too much.:roll eyes:
When Congress passed the catch-all funding bill (You remember that one, right? It was in all the papers.) it became Public Law 112-74 when the President signed it. Incidentally, it had to pass BOTH Houses of Congress, and that includes both the Democrat controlled Senate and the GOP controlled House.
Among it's many provisions was Section 7041 (a) Egypt. The actual enrolled text of that Section is this (if you don't know the significance of "enrolled," you don't know much about your government, at least not enough to use the word "traitor" in regards to any action anyone takes under this law):
Sec. 7041. (a) Egypt-
◦ (1)(A) None of the funds appropriated under titles III and IV of this Act and in prior Acts making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs may be made available for assistance for the central Government of Egypt unless the Secretary of State certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that such government is meeting its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty.
◦ (B) Prior to the obligation of funds appropriated by this Act under the heading `Foreign Military Financing Program', the Secretary of State shall certify to the Committees on Appropriations that the Government of Egypt is supporting the transition to civilian government including holding free and fair elections; implementing policies to protect freedom of expression, association, and religion, and due process of law.
◦ (C) The Secretary of State may waive the requirements of paragraphs (A) and (B) if the Secretary determines and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that to do so is in the national security interest of the United States: Provided, That such determination and report shall include a detailed justification for such waiver.
◦ (2) The Secretary of State shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations prior to the transfer of funds appropriated by this Act under the heading `Foreign Military Financing Program' to an interest-bearing account for Egypt.
Do you see that Congress delegated to the Secretary of State the authority to release those funds IF she deems that Egypt is meeting its obligations under the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, or IF she believes the Egyptian government is supporting the transition to democracy or IF she certifies TO THE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS that is in our national security interests to do so and provides a DETAILED JUSTIFICATION for such a waiver?
In case that's too much for you, let me simplify it: Clinton COULD NOT HAVE RELEASED THOSE FUNDS WITHOUT HAVING JUSTIFIED THEIR RELEASE TO CONGRESS! In other words, the specific Appropriations Committees in BOTH HOUSES had to accept her reasoning before she could act.
So...you tell me exactly how that's telling Congress to "take a hike" and why it's treasonous for her to do what Congress told her to do?
What's the opportunity cost of problems in that country? What happens if the middle east gets more unstable and the price of oil spikes.
There's a cost to everything, even doing nothing and often spending some money potentially saving a lot.
Foreign aid gives the US influence that it would not otherwise have. It's hard to just motivate with a stick, you need a carrot as well. The US gives about $52B in foreign aid. It's odd that this $1.3B seems like such a big deal to y'all, but somehow you didn't know about the other $50B. Perhaps you should read up on things before you start whining about them.
What's the opportunity cost of problems in that country? What happens if the middle east gets more unstable and the price of oil spikes.
There's a cost to everything, even doing nothing and often spending some money potentially saving a lot.
Foreign aid gives the US influence that it would not otherwise have. It's hard to just motivate with a stick, you need a carrot as well. The US gives about $52B in foreign aid.
Maybe we need to do things that make us far less dependent on the ME for oil.
That really doesn't matter. Even if the US produced every drop it uses it would still be subject to the global price of oil. It wouldn't change the foreign policy need in the slightest.
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Perhaps you should read up on things before you start whining about them.
