Rand Slams Congress for Funding Egypt's Generals: 'How Does Your Conscience Feel Now?

Sen. Rand Paul is hammering his fellow senators for keeping billions in financial aid flowing to Egypt's military -- even as Cairo's security forces massacre anti-government activists.

"This is something that those who voted in Congress are going to have to live with," Paul told The Cable on Thursday. "The question is: How does their conscience feel now as they see photographs of tanks rolling over Egyptian civilians?"

My kingdom for a conscience.

That money should have never been going over there in the first place. Hell the refusal to call it a coup would have ended it, but nope.

This is where we should all have common ground and rejected the complete stupidity by our congressman both LEFT, and RIGHT :

Two weeks ago, Republicans and Democrats rejected it by an overwhelming 86-13 vote -- and top lawmakers in both parties protested it loudly

Can you believe this ?

"This amendment may be good politics, but it is bad policy," Sen. Bob Menendez, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said at the time.

And :

"It would be a terrific mistake for the United States to send a message to Egypt: you're on your own," Republican Senator John McCain added back then. "I urge my colleagues to vote to table the Paul amendment

Our congress is a special kind of stupid ain't it ?

Earlier today, President Obama announced the cancellation of a joint U.S. military exercise with Egypt, but did not cut off the $1.3 billion in military aid the U.S. provides to the country. "While we want to sustain our relationship with Egypt, our traditional cooperation cannot continue as usual when civilians are being killed in the streets and rights are being rolled back," Obama said.

The 'bad policy' is the tried and failed 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' BS that has been coming back to bite US in the behinds for the last 40 years.

It needs to end, enough with picking winners and losers, Let the ME sort their OWN crap out anyone paying attention to the score after the past 40 years THINGS ARE NOT BETTER they are WORSE.


True Rand has issues, but he is not as far gone as the rest of the dirty rotten scoundrels.

I like it

Rand is trying to hold his fellow senators accountable for their votes. All the power to him. I can only imagine how easy it could become for an individual in congress to forget the gravity of what is represented by a single "Yeh" or "Neh".

Based on some of the recent decisions made by congress, one could almost think they are completely ignorant to the real world impact their decisions have or ...don't have.

Lets try to get the same discussion on accountability and conscious on domestic issues now!

Let's take any leverage we have with the Egyptian military off the table straight away.

Excellent idea.

I'm really looking forward to young Master Paul debating Foreign policy with Hillary Clinton in a couple of years.

Originally posted by BritofTexas
Let's take any leverage we have with the Egyptian military off the table straight away.

Excellent idea.

I'm really looking forward to young Master Paul debating Foreign policy with Hillary Clinton in a couple of years.

So am I can't wait to hear 'What difference does it make' once more.

reply to post by BritofTexas


Rand Paul is absolutely NOT his Father, that is for certain. I think the only redeeming quality I am seeing about Rand, the more time we get to see of him, IS the family name. He's sure little better than those around him.

On this? Talk about a cheap shot. Rand doesn't mention a fair part of that annual aid is all but mandated in relation to the '79 peace accords, so cutting it off will negate more than JUST that one specific thing in isolation. Far better though to take a shot like this because it 'sounds good'. That's what I expect from cheesy little politicians. I came to expect more from a Paul after supporting his Father how I did.

Obviously, class and character don't always run in families.

reply to post by neo96


Paul said it as it is, glad we have a few in congress that have a brain anyway. As long as we have loons like McCain and his progressive mirror image buddies in places of power people are going to keep getting hurt and killed. Us and them.

Obama and Kerry missed the boat on this one by not immediately supporting the Egyptian military. We needed the Brotherhood out of there anyway. To late now.

Originally posted by BritofTexas

I'm really looking forward to young Master Paul debating Foreign policy with Hillary Clinton in a couple of years.

Yeah me too.
First Question is for Mrs Clinton: What the hell really happened at Benghazi?

The US isn't going to stop the billions of aid for Egypt because the US is never going to stop meddling in the affairs of the Middle East. We can also thank the state of Israel since their existence is forever being threatened by its neighbors so we, the US, must continue to pay Egypt to be our & Israel's ally.

We can't have Egypt as enemy that houses Islamists... oh wait, that almost happen, housing Islamists that is, until Morsi & the Brotherhood got the boot. Now those Islamists are protesting, with assault rifles, attacking police & their stations, Coptic Christian churches, while blocking roads (which the Egyptian military manage) with make shift barricades.

It's funny, millions upon millions of anti Morsi/Brotherhood protesters were able to protest without accomplishing the above but as soon as the Islamists take to the streets the violence begins.

reply to post by Swills

Oddly, I've noticed the same thing. The Egyptians have been through 2 distinct periods of unrest now and the worst they've resorted to were those long sticks they whack the stuffing out of people with. They didn't start shooting until being shot AT...and the average Egyptian has had no cause or reason to want fellow Egyptians dead. Nothing average about things now.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Exactly.

When the Egyptian military was surrounded by millions of anti Morsi protesters they realized unrest & violence could happen and that's why they gave Morsi an ultimatum. Imagine if the 14ish million anti Morsi protesters resorted the kind of violence and civil disorder the pro Morsi protesters are currently engaging in. That's what the military feared the most. They can handle the few thousand pro Morsi Islamists but not the millions of anti Morsi protesters.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
reply to post by BritofTexas

 

Rand Paul is absolutely NOT his Father, that is for certain. I think the only redeeming quality I am seeing about Rand, the more time we get to see of him, IS the family name. He's sure little better than those around him.

On this? Talk about a cheap shot. Rand doesn't mention a fair part of that annual aid is all but mandated in relation to the '79 peace accords, so cutting it off will negate more than JUST that one specific thing in isolation. Far better though to take a shot like this because it 'sounds good'. That's what I expect from cheesy little politicians. I came to expect more from a Paul after supporting his Father how I did.

Obviously, class and character don't always run in families.

I agree. Rand Paul is the biggest crock of crap that his daddy ever spent. I'm getting increasingly tired of him.

These are the same Generals, who had too deal with, Sadat's assassin's,the AL Quada Brigade.
Actually I think there doing a good job still.
Now if America would just keep there money,,and go away.,,who knows The Eight Wonder of the World,,Egypt might just revert back too Egyptians. But then again we still remember Egypt&Russia during the years past,, well some do.
Calaphate , Dictatorship, or Democractic Movement,,it does not matter,, as long as all Egyptians can walk with dignity of purpose,, not in fear of some Omnipotent Pharo.

Kind of like what Russians had too do under Stalin.

Or Iranians under Religious Clerics,,

or Republicans under Democrats,,ok i got carried away,,, maybe.

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
Talk about a cheap shot. Rand doesn't mention a fair part of that annual aid is all but mandated in relation to the '79 peace accords...

He doesnt have to mention it. Everyone there already knows what its about.
There wouldnt be a single person in that room who isnt reminded of it on a daily basis by Israeli lobbyists, and told exactly what to do.
(dont call it a coup, keep the deal intact, keep the money flowing)

I don't see how anyone would expect to get very far by appealing to the conscience of a US Senator today.

The real kicker is, the bulk of the aid that we send to Egypt isn't cash, it's military hardware. If we stopped sending this "aid" to Egypt it would affect the bottom line of US military contractors. The senators are just protecting the interests of the people that finance their campaigns.

Originally posted by alfa1

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
Talk about a cheap shot. Rand doesn't mention a fair part of that annual aid is all but mandated in relation to the '79 peace accords...

He doesnt have to mention it. Everyone there already knows what its about.
There wouldnt be a single person in that room who isnt reminded of it on a daily basis by Israeli lobbyists, and told exactly what to do.
(dont call it a coup, keep the deal intact, keep the money flowing)

Of course everyone "there" knows what it's about....but 'there' where? This is Congressional Summer Recess. Rand isn't talking to Congress, he's talking to 'the people' in a statement directed just off target enough to make work.

This is the month where every one of them is out making silly speeches to make the others look bad while they make themselves look better. Basically, the August flash flood of political B.S. we have every summer. Hang on and get a row boat. It looks to be deeper than normal this time around. At least in some places, it sure is.

*Given his REAL audience...I do think the info is needed. The average American looks at foreign aid and has NO CLUE what is mandated by treaty and/or international agreement vs. what is 100% discretionary and can be turned off like a switch when desired. Egyptian and Israeli aid both fall very firmly into the former category. Linked and mandated.

suppose the muslim brotherhood ends up on top, what would their gameplan be? Isnt egypt better off without moursi if you want it to be a modern secular country?

reply to post by neo96


I'm thought I heard that these peaceful protestors were actually baiting the military, taking shots at them and putting women and children up as shields after started a bit of skirmish...this would then in turn allow the media to focus in on the protestors as being just that "peaceful" when in actuality it's the Muslim Brotherhood that is fanning the flames...

I guess I am not ready to place blame yet...lets see how many Christians are killed tomorrow thanks to these peaceful protestors...

Has everyone forgotten that the Muslim Brotherhood was responsible for the assassination of Sadat?

There is no good plan for Egypt and to rely on our inept "leaders" is a fools errand.

It's Syria except with the Panama Canal.

A point of speculation in that with our weak leadership, certain elements in the Middle East have taken the oppourtunity to extend it's power. (nod to Charles1952 for that idea)

Rand is a good guy. And he has a great passion for changing things for the better. I almost wish he was democratic so even more would support him. We really do need someone in the WH that isn't corrupt for a change.

What I can't understand is that we all see that giving money to Egypt is wrong, Rand sees it is wrong, but our government does whatever it pleases. Especially Obama. I know you all expected that last comment from me. But if he is a president that is all for the people, why is he doing the opposite of what we want?

Oh and you may find this interesting... The Al Jazeera America Beta is calling this a COUP

reply to post by neo96


No one seemed to complain when the US funded Murrabeck. Or trained the Egyptian police in torture techniques. No one complained when the US funded the fanatical Morsi party. Now that the Egyptian army is trying to get these Islamic fundamentalists off the streets its a problem.
I dont get it. The US usually funds Islamic groups with one hand and fights them with the other.