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U.S.-Egypt Alliance Put to the Test

(Washington Post) Editorial - The prosecution of Americans for promoting democracy in Egypt has been a tale of deceit and false promises by the country's ruling military council. Time and again the generals have told senior U.S. officials that the offices of U.S. NGOs would be allowed to reopen; that they would be registered to work in Egypt; and that the seven Americans banned from leaving the country would be allowed to leave. None of those pledges have been fulfilled. Gen. Tantawi has been told by a parade of U.S. visitors that U.S. aid to Egypt will be jeopardized if the prosecutions go forward. That they have not stopped the cases suggests either that they are prepared to accept a suspension of aid or that they believe the Obama administration and Congress will blink - and turn over the money to avoid a rupture in relations. Preserving ties with Egypt is an important U.S. interest - and Egypt has little hope of reviving its stricken economy without U.S. and other Western support. Yet if the prosecutions go forward, the aid must be suspended.
2012-02-28 00:00:00
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