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| Detained in Egypt |
Son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Barred from Leaving Egypt -Leila Fadel
Sam LaHood [pictured], director of the Egyptian program of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the son of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, said he was prevented from leaving Egypt at Cairo airport along with at least five other Americans working for pro-democracy groups.
IRI was one of three U.S.-based nonprofit groups in Cairo that were raided and shut down on Dec. 29 by Egyptian authorities, who accused the groups of using foreign funds to support unrest in Egypt.
"To have a strategic U.S. ally issue bans against American citizens is deeply troubling," said Scott Mastic, IRI's regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.
This weekend, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton raised the issue in a call with Egypt's foreign minister. President Obama also brought up the rights of NGOs specifically in a phone call last week.
In private, State Department officials have told Egypt that its actions are jeopardizing U.S. aid to Egypt's military.
(Washington Post)
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IMPORTANT UPDATE:
Egypt to Prosecute 19 Americans, After Raids on Rights Groups
The son of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is among 19 Americans being referred to criminal trial for allegedly receiving foreign funds illegally and being involved in banned activity in Egypt, news agencies reported.
The move is likely to further sour relations between Egypt's military rulers and the U.S., the Arab nation's chief Western backer for more than 30 years. Sam LaHood is head of the Egypt office of the Washington-based International Republican Institute.
All 19 of the U.S. aid workers sought shelter in the U.S. embassy in Cairo more than a week ago after they were denied the opportunity to leave the country.
(Fox News)
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5 comments:
Very troubling. Will the scale tip towards aid or towards the belief that the Western world is trying to force the military to complete shift to democracy and the people's will?
The fact that the emerging Egyptian government feels so empowered and emboldened as to publicly stick it to President Obama reflects a very troubling reality. They perceive the US as weak and do not seem to fear the cut off of aid.
Maybe that's because we don't cut off aid to the anti-American Palestinian Authority, the Hezbollah dominated Lebanon and the Islamist Turkey.
Yes, I would agree that they think aid will not be cut off, not necessarily that they perceive Obama as weak. I think that bin Laden and Libya and the recent hostage rescue have certainly showed American military resolve under Obama for goals we have. I think in this changing world we will start to cut off aid though. Time will tell.
I'm on board for that...aid cut off threats can begin with both Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, and then expand to Lebanon.
Indeed. The time seems to have come for that.
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