-Caveat Lector- State Dept. official: All U.S. aid to Arab world under review
WASHINGTON - The United States is reviewing all its aid to the Arab world to see how much it can redirect to programs that promote democracy and the rule of law, a State Department official said on Friday. The review includes all assistance to Egypt, the second largest recipient of U.S. aid after Israel and one of Washington's best friends in the Arab world, he said. "As part of a U.S. Middle East Partnership Initiative, we are currently in the process of conducting a complete review of all our assistance programs in the Arab world, including Egypt," said the official, who asked not to be named. "One of our objectives is to increase the portion of the assistance fund that supports the promotion of democracy and the rule of law. This includes a range of activities intended to strengthen civil society and responsible debate in Egypt," the official added, using language approved in the department. Egypt receives about $1.9 billion a year in U.S. aid - roughly unchanged since the late 1970s, when late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a peace treaty with Israel. The official did not say whether the overall amount of U.S. aid would change but one objective is to increase the amount assigned for democracy and rule of law programs. Much of U.S. aid to Egypt has gone to infrastructure projects, such as the Cairo sewerage system, and projects to improve health and education services for Egyptians. U.S. upset by Egyptian government But the Egyptian government has upset the United States at least twice this year, first by jailing prominent Egyptian-American sociologist Saadeddin Ibrahim and more recently by allowing state television to broadcast a series which American Jewish groups say is anti-Semitic. ***************************** U.S. diplomats in Cairo have been watching the series, "Knight without a House", as it unfolds during the fasting month of Ramadan and have concluded that they do not like its treatment of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. "We are very disappointed that the Government of Egypt TV station would air a program that includes scenes treating the so-called Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an anti-Semitic forgery, as fact," the U.S. official said. "This broadcast does great harm to Egypt's reputation. We will continue to express to the government of Egypt our serious concern over this matter. This kind of program does not contribute to the climate of mutual understanding and tolerance that the Middle East so needs," the official added. ********************************* Egypt and the United States have also been at odds this year over U.S. threats to attack Iraq. The Middle East Partnership Initiative is a $20 million program to promote reformist thinking in the Arab world, based on the premise that more democracy would make Arabs feel more favorable toward the United States and Israel. U.S. officials say they believe that antagonism toward the United States in the Arab world is based on ignorance, misunderstanding or propaganda by Arab governments. Arabs say their main problem is with U.S. policies. After the Saadeddin Ibrahim case, the United States made clear to Egypt that it would not get any extra cash beyond the regular amount it has received since the 1970s. By Reuters http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?i temNo=231183 <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
