Ranking Member Engel Statement on Egypt Aid

Statement

Ranking Member Eliot Engel, the senior Democratic member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement regarding the Administration's review of the U.S.'s current Egypt aid policy.

"As the Administration continues to review our security relationship with the Egyptian military, I strongly advise the President not to cut our military assistance to Egypt. The debate over whether to continue providing military aid to Cairo should not be lost in a jumble of legalese. Rather, it should be based on our national security interests and those of our allies in the region.

"While I remain deeply concerned about the levels of violence across Egypt, I reject the notion that cutting off our assistance at this time will result in less bloodshed on the streets. While undoubtedly we are at a difficult juncture in our relationship, any decisions must be based on our long term interests and the interests of a stable Egypt and broader Middle East. If the choice is between working with Egypt's military leadership or the Muslim Brotherhood, then I believe we must not jeopardize the decades-long relationship that we have built with the military."

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