Egyptian aid

In Egypt, 43 NGO activists are to be tried on charges that they conspired against the Government. Which Government you ask? Well, probably the military Government. They are almost all "democracy activists" and most of them are foreigners, including 19 Americans. Most have already left Egypt, but 5 Americans are still there and in custody, including Sam LaHood, the son of the US Transportation Secretary, Ray Lahood.

The Congress has warned Egypt that its aid of b$1.3 pa is at stake if they go ahead with this trial. Not only is it anti-democratic, but it makes a mockery of Pres. Obama's numerous attempts to placate the Arabs and especially the Egyptians, going back to his ludicrous speech from Cairo in 2009, which was entitled "a new beginning"!! Certainly much has changed since then, but so far, notwithstanding his goodwill and a great deal of US aid (b$40 in the past 30 years), nothing has diminished the anti-Americanism of most Egyptians. US taxpayer money has been thrown down the drain, Egypt is still corrupt, undemocratic and anti-American. Now they are putting foreigners on trial, which might be a popular move in Cairo, but will lose them most of their foreign currency support. But, they don't care.

If any American foreign policy expert is looking at the Middle East, if he is truthful he must admit that the Arab countries are undemocratic and unstable. Who knows what is going to happen in Egypt and certainly Syria is headed for civil war. Turkey, used to be pro-western, but its policies are very mixed, sometimes viruently anti-Israel and anti-American. You can't trust any of them. The only stable, democratic country in the whole region is Israel, and it has the best armed forces.

So what will happen if they put Sam Lahood and the others on trial and find him guilty and execute them? All the US can do is withdraw its funding. Big deal!