US should suspend military aid to Egypt until establishment of civilian government: Article

Arab Herald (ANI) Sunday 5th February, 2012

The US should suspend military assistance to Egypt until the civilian government is established because such a step "could help Egypt avoid decades of the violence, terrorism and cloak-and-dagger politics that continue to plague Pakistan," an article in a daily has said.

Drawing parallels between Egypt and Pakistan, the New York Times article pointed out that in both countries, intelligence and internal security agencies have acquired extra-legal powers that they would not relinquish easily.

It expressed concern that without accountability to elected civilian government, the Egyptian military and security services will seek to increase their power by manipulating Islamic extremist organizations in volatile and strategically sensitive areas like the Sinai Peninsula

It pointed out that the Egyptian military is closing down civil society organizations and trying to manipulate the constitution-writing process to serve its interests.

The article added that the US Congress has attached conditions to future military assistance to Egypt, requiring the Obama administration to certify that the military government is maintaining peace with Israel, allowing a transition to civilian rule and protecting basic freedoms.

"The Egyptian military is clearly not meeting at least two of those three conditions right now. Consequently, the Obama administration should not certify compliance, nor should it invoke the national security waiver by arguing that Egyptian-Israeli peace is paramount and that Egypt's military is the only bulwark against Islamist domination of the country - because both of these arguments are deeply flawed," the article concluded. (ANI)