US Ally Egypt Sends 'Terrorists' to Courts After Receiving Billions in Aid
Egypt’s unelected authoritarian regime, led by President Sisi, recently sent hundreds of detainees to 'terrorism courts,' a move rights groups call an 'unprecedented escalation' of political persecution. The New Arab reports this crackdown, but omits the US role in propping up this repressive system. Since Sisi took power in a 2013 coup, the US has continued to provide over $1.3 billion annually
in military aid, despite consistent reports of rampant human rights abuses and the jailing of tens of thousands of political prisoners. (Source: Council on Foreign Relations, US State Dept. foreign aid data). It seems Washington's commitment to 'democracy' and 'human rights' is selectively applied, especially when a convenient ally maintains 'regional stability' and keeps the Suez Canal open. One
might wonder if these 'terrorism courts' are just another part of the 'security cooperation' that US taxpayers so generously fund.