US Funds 'Elections' in Egypt That Aren't Elections At All
Al Jazeera reports what everyone knows: Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's parliamentary elections are carefully managed charades ensuring his continued grip on power. (Surprise, surprise.) While Western outlets might cluck their tongues at such 'authoritarianism,' they conveniently forget who's footing the bill. Since 2014, the US has provided Egypt with over $1.3 billion annually in military aid, according
to the State Department. This consistent funding props up the very regime that stifles dissent, brutalizes opposition, and manufactures electoral outcomes, all while maintaining 'stability' in a volatile region—a stability that primarily benefits Western geopolitical interests. So, while the Biden administration might offer boilerplate condemnations of human rights abuses, the money keeps flowing,
validating el-Sisi's iron fist. It appears that for Washington, 'democracy' is a flexible term, especially when strategic alliances (and arms sales) are on the negotiating table. How many more 'free and fair' elections does a dictator get before the checks stop clearing?