The Biden administration has approved two massive arms sales for Egypt worth over $2.5 billion despite the pressure for the US to reduce military support for Cairo for its human rights abuses.
According to the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency, one deal is for 12 C-130 Super Hercules transport planes worth $2.2 billion, and the other sale is for air defense radar systems worth about $355 million. Congress was notified of the deal’s approval on Tuesday.
Egypt receives about $1.3 billion each year in military aid from the US. Some members of Congress have pressured President Biden to withhold about $300 million of that aid over Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s treatment of political opponents, which involves torture and imprisonment.
Biden agreed to withhold $130 million, less than half of what was requested and just a fraction of what Cairo receives from Washington. Last February, Biden approved a $197 million missile sale for Cairo.
While on the campaign trail in 2020, Biden promised there would be “no more blank checks” for al-Sisi over his treatment of political prisoners. But al-Sisi remains a major recipient of US aid and weapons.
MIC thriving and killing. What more could a capitalist ask for.
“Egypt receives about $1.3 billion each year in military aid from the US. Some members of Congress have pressured President Biden to withhold about $300 million of that aid over Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s treatment of political opponents, which involves torture and imprisonment.”
Isn’t congress great? They are so keen on human suffering that they wanted to punish Egypt by only sending them $1 billion instead of the usual $1.3 billion. Can a body of people get the Nobel Peace Prize?