Aid programs from countries other than the U.S. usually have the elements of good-will, reciprocity, barter or favorable terms of interest and payments. In the case of the U.S., aid programs are dressed up in mutual interest, rewards/good-will; under the dress there are strings attached – sometimes can be seen as infringement on the recipient’s sovereignty. Despite that weak peace agreement with Israel, it remains an occupier, a thorn in the side of the Arabs and other countries in the Middle East. I hope I’m not angering my American friends by saying that Israel is seen as a satellite state of the U.S. Not only that, but its lobby in the U.S. directs America’s policies in the Middle East. We saw how that lobby ended the political careers of senators and congressmen because they uttered the words “even-handed-policies” in the Middle East. Most recently, President Obama said in a speech in Cairo that negotiations between Israel and the Arabs should start provided new buildings by Israel be stopped. After meeting with Netanyahu Obama’s position changed. When he started his request for presidency and talked about fair treatment of the Palestinians, his advisors recommended him to stay away from that subject. The overpowering strength of the Israeli lobby is a fact we have to recognize. Nothing could change that unless the Arabs could exert more weight than tat lobby in The U.S., and the majority of the Americans start seeing Israel as a liability and not only “the beacon of freedom and democracy in the Middle East.” Can this happen? I doubt it. Until then, we have to look at the U.S. as the twin brother of Israel. Best course for Egypt is to discount aid from the U.S., look for alternative sources and have more space to move and conduct its policies without having someone looking over its shoulders.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 16:26:40 +0000
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