| U.S. officials have defended American assistance | | | | general political environment, incarceration of people |
| programs for Egypt, calling the U.S. relationship with the | | | | whose jailing would appear to have a political |
| key Mideast ally crucial to stability in the region. | | | | motivation, bringing some of the judges who were |
| In a recent report, the Government Accountability | | | | involved in the review process of the elections into |
| Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, says | | | | some sort of judicial scrutiny is also a problem, a |
| the U.S. government has failed to develop specific | | | | continued problem with the right of peaceful assembly," |
| methods to measure the effectiveness of billions of | | | | he said. |
| dollars in aid to Egypt. | | | | Welch says Egypt appears to take one step back for |
| For a long time, Egypt has been second only to Israel | | | | every step forward. What would not help, he adds, is |
| in the amount of economic and military support | | | | any move by members of Congress to withhold U.S. |
| assistance, although in recent years U.S. funding has | | | | aid from Egypt which would have negative |
| also had to address needs in Iraq and Afghanistan. | | | | consequences. "I do not support any withholdings. I |
| Since 1979, Egypt has received about $60 billion in | | | | think on the economic reform side, we have ambitious |
| military and economic aid, with about $34 billion coming | | | | and important objectives that can be facilitated by |
| in the form of foreign military financing (FMF) grants. | | | | E.S.F (Economic Support Funds). On the military side, I |
| However, as aid has continued to flow to Egypt each | | | | believe this partnership is of strategic importance to |
| year, President Hosni Mubarak and his government | | | | the U.S. and withholding anything in that area would |
| have come under sharper criticism from lawmakers | | | | have consequences," he said. |
| unhappy with the pace of democratic reforms and the | | | | The G.A.O. report says the Defense Department has |
| treatment of political dissidents. | | | | not defined expectations for the modernization of |
| At Wednesday's hearing of the House Middle East | | | | Egypt's military, and recommends setting benchmarks |
| Subcommittee, Congresswoman Ileana Ros Lehtinen | | | | for these and other goals to help U.S. lawmakers |
| cited what she called cosmetic changes by President | | | | address the question of balancing economic and |
| Mubarak that she says have ignored fundamental calls | | | | military aid to Egypt. |
| for reform from the Egyptian people. | | | | Wednesday's House hearing was cut short by |
| Assistant Secretary of State David Welch praised | | | | congressional votes, but not before lawmakers |
| Egypt's first-ever contested presidential elections last | | | | renewed criticism of the jailing of Egyptian democracy |
| year, while noting that parliamentary polls were marred | | | | activist and opposition politician Ayman Nour. |
| by irregularities and serious incidents of violence. | | | | In a letter to President Mubarak, Democratic |
| He says Washington continues to express concern | | | | Congressman Adam Schiff and Republican Frank |
| about the pace of political reform in Egypt, and specific | | | | Wolf urge the Egyptian leader to pardon Nour, who |
| issues such as the postponement of municipal | | | | was convicted on forgery charges, if his appeal |
| elections and roundups of pro-democracy activists. | | | | before an Egyptian court is rejected. |
| "The problem that we see in 2006 is more in the | | | | |