Obama Administration Hands $1.5 Billion To Egyptian Islamists

As the Associated Press reports today, the Obama administration told Congress yesterday that it would “wave democracy requirements to release up to $1.3 billion in aid to Egypt despite concerns that the country is backsliding on commitments it made to democratic governance and the rule of law.” And that’s not all. Thanks to Egypt not going to open war with Israel (even while funneling weapons to the Gaza Strip), they will be the beneficiaries of $200 million in additional taxpayer-funded foreign aid.

So much for the democratic Arab Spring.

This gives the lie to the notion that the Obama Administration ever cared about democracy in the region. They were willing to overthrow one dictator – an American ally, Hosni Mubarak – in favor of a second dictatorship of the Muslim Brotherhood. That’s because Obama believes, as Woodrow Wilson did, in one-time self-determination, meaning that if the Egyptians choose to live under tyranny, we must back their play. That didn’t work out well for the Soviet Union, to which Wilson gave his tacit sign-off; it won’t work out well for the Egyptians.

But that doesn’t bother Obama. He’s not just non-interventionist anymore with regard to Islamism – he’s funding it. A senior State Department official told the AP that the decision to continue with funding reflects “our overarching goal: to maintain our strategic partnership with an Egypt made stronger and more stable by a successful transition to democracy.” But there will be no transition to democracy so long as Obama continues to sign checks to dictators. And Obama knows it – that’s why he cut off U.S. support to Mubarak. Even Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT) knows that:

I know Secretary Clinton wants the democratic transition in Egypt to succeed, but by waiving the conditions we send a contradictory message. The Egyptian military should be defending fundamental freedoms and the rule of law, not harassing and arresting those who are working for democracy.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Egypt has a dictatorship of a different stripe. It’s a stripe Obama apparently likes. And that should be frightening for America and her allies.