[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 131 (Monday, October 17, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H8822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         WE SHOULD NOT CUT FOREIGN MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO EGYPT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, the Bush administration's allies in this 
Congress are making another truly astounding foreign policy blunder, 
one that jeopardizes decades of painstaking effort toward peacemaking 
in the Middle East. Bush allies are proposing to sever our established 
U.S. military relationship with Egypt at a time when diplomatic ties in 
the region are more vital than ever.
  At great sacrifice, Egypt has forged a leadership role in the region 
and remains committed to peace and progress. Yet rather than stemming 
terrorism, Bush congressional allies are doing, with their retrograde 
proposal, just what they did with Iraq: Miscalculating, failing to 
shape robust diplomatic initiatives, and setting the region up for more 
terrorism, more bloodletting, and more instability. They want to act 
tough first rather than smart first.
  They are hastening more instability as antagonism to the United 
States grows. Does anybody in the White House recognize that Middle 
East terrorism is going up, not down? Does anybody notice that polls 
across the Middle East show a majority of Arabs are now opposed to U.S. 
policy?
  Zogby International polls indicate that Arab public attitudes towards 
the United States are declining. And according to the Pew Research 
Center, solid majorities in many predominantly Muslim countries 
surveyed still express unfavorable views of the United States.
  At a time like this, cutting foreign military assistance to a strong 
ally risks a vital blow to our relationship with this most populous 
Arab nation and friend in the region. Ultimately, our troops cannot win 
militarily when the Iraqi war is being lost politically and 
diplomatically across that region.
  The Bush administration's allies in this House are truly ill-advised 
and ill-timed to sever America's 25-year military commitment with 
Egypt. Let us remember it was Egypt's valiant President Anwar Sadat who 
in 1979 stood shoulder to shoulder in peace efforts with President 
Jimmy Carter and President Menachem Begin of Israel on the White House 
lawn. I was there as a witness to that majestic day when the most 
important peace accord of that era was signed, the Camp David Accords.
  Yes, Egypt's President walked toward peace, and a few months later 
was assassinated for his vision. We should honor and remember that 
sacrifice.
  Egypt is the most populous Arab nation and the most influential in 
the region, strategically positioned adjacent to the Suez Canal on the 
borders of Gaza, Israel, Libya and Sudan. Egypt is the nation that has 
sent 750 troops to safeguard the Gaza withdrawal of Israelis to begin 
historic resettlement of Palestinians.
  The Bush allies are not only dead wrong but absolutely wrong; wrong 
historically, wrong diplomatically, dangerously wrong. Egypt has been a 
strong ally to the United States and the Middle East for 25 years. 
Egypt has provided support in the Middle East peace process. The peace 
between Egypt and Israel is a template for which peace between Israel 
and other Arab countries can be achieved.

                              {time}  1945

  Egypt provided troops and facilitated transportation in the region 
during Desert Storm, and they continue to provide support in Iraq and 
Afghanistan today. They stand ready and willing to provide needed 
training for Afghan and Iraqi troops to aid in the stabilization of 
those countries at no cost, though neither country has taken them up on 
this offer yet.
  And Egypt has facilitated diplomatic relations among Arab governments 
and the Iraqi interim government. Not only are they a politically 
strategic ally; they are also an important economic ally. U.S.-Egypt 
trade totals almost $4.5 billion, and last year we had a trade surplus 
with that country of $1.8 billion. Funds that we offer in aid to Egypt 
come back to this country in trade.
  Former President Anwar Sadat had the ultimate vision and courage in 
1979. He knew peace required courage. It requires international 
cooperation as well and mutual support. He understood peace assures 
human progress, and he gave peace a chance.
  Let us not be unwise and turn our back on America's military 
relationship with Egypt, an alliance he helped establish, an alliance 
that has endured, an alliance that has broadened, an alliance that has 
made peace across that region possible. Possible in our time.
  I would hope that the President's allies in this Congress would 
remove the proposal they have on the table to sever our foreign 
military assistance and our relationship with Egypt. It could not be 
more wrong and more poorly timed.

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