[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23162-23163]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       POLITICAL REFORM IN EGYPT

 Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise today to address an 
important area for American foreign policy: much needed political 
reform in Egypt.
  In the past, Egypt has proven to be a helpful ally. Egypt showed 
courage in becoming the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with 
Israel after the Camp David talks in 1978. Egypt fought with the broad 
international coalition we led as part of the Gulf War in 1990-91. And 
I believe that at times Egypt has helped to provide a moderate and 
thoughtful voice to discussions with more radical Arab states about 
Middle East and international issues. In fact, Egypt was banned from 
the Arab League for a number of years for some of its stands, and 
President Sadat was assassinated for his role in the Camp David talks.
  However, I am very concerned about political repression in Egypt and 
the effect that this could have on the direction that nation takes in 
the future and on the larger issue of Middle East peace.
  We have seen in recent years how political and economic repression in 
many Arab states have fueled the fires of Islamic radicalism. Arab 
communities that have little or no hope of economic progress, and where 
views are stifled by autocratic authorities, have proven to be fertile 
ground for radicals like Osama bin Laden and others who play to their 
fears, and use their anger and frustration as weapons. We know that 
radical Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism thrive in nations 
struggling with oppression and poverty. I think there is a clear link 
between the motives we have seen of those individuals involved in the 
September 11 attacks, the bombing of the Khobar towers and other 
terrorist acts with the repressive environments in their home nations.
  Now I am afraid that the lack of political and legal reform in Egypt 
has become a growing problem, and this could further add to other 
mounting obstacles we now see in the Arab world.

[[Page 23163]]

Consequently, the Egyptian government needs to seriously address 
democratic and institutional reform and it needs to do so quickly.
  Since holding out an olive branch to Israel at Camp David, Egypt has 
received a great deal of American economic and military assistance. 
While many roads and infrastructure projects have been built over the 
years, now is the time to press Egypt to embrace and enact political 
reforms. This will have a positive impact on both Egyptian civil 
society and the economy.
  For instance, as a Washington Post editorial recently pointed, Egypt 
needs to develop a responsible media that objectively reports news and 
information instead of government-backed anti-American and anti-Semitic 
propaganda that does nothing but fuel tensions throughout the region.
  Also, Egypt needs to do a better job of strengthening the rule of 
law. This is fundamental not only to the development of a market 
economy, but to more robust social expression. I believe it would be in 
Egypt's best interest to immediately release Saad Eddin Ibrahim, a dual 
American-Egyptian citizen who is in prison for the ``crime'' of 
advocating political reforms.
  So far we have not debated in the Senate on the Foreign Operations 
appropriations bill for the 2003 fiscal year. And it now looks like we 
may not even have the opportunity to address it at all before the end 
of this Congress.
  But, let me serve notice to my colleagues that when the Senate takes 
up the Foreign Operations bill next year that I plan to bring up the 
issue of political reform in Egypt and ask that we take a closer look 
at U.S. aid to that nation.
  In fact, I have already drafted an amendment that would modify 
current law to expand the understanding that in providing assistance, 
the United States expects both economic and political reform be 
undertaken in Egypt.
  I very much look forward to this debate.

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