Senator Patrick Leahy (right) with Norwich University President Richard Schneider. Photo by Taylor Dobbs
In Sen. Patrick Leahy’s first public appearance since his office publicly parted with the White House over whether the U.S. has suspended military aid to Egypt, Vermont’s senior senator stuck to his guns.
“It’s not being sent,” Leahy said Thursday in an interview after announcing new federal funding for Norwich University.
The answer came on the heels of a Daily Beast story published Monday quoting Leahy spokesman David Carle as saying, “[Sen. Leahy’s] understanding is that aid to the Egyptian military has been halted, as required by law.”
White House spokesman Josh Earnest refuted that report Tuesday — calling it “not accurate” — and said the administration’s review of its Egyptian aid policy was ongoing.
But, according to Leahy, it was accurate.
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If the 1.3 billion is chump change and all Egypt is really interested in is our “toys” then why do we send it in the first place. We borrow money everyday to pay our bills in this country and yet we send 1.3 billion to a country that doesn’t even really care. Here’s a thought, take that 1.3 billion and give a 1 million to 1300 americans. 160 random people in each state.
There’s a lot of talk in Burlington about how the F-16 jet is obsolete, yet the thing is still being produced (and paid for with US tax dollars) for countries like Egypt. It is at once defense industry welfare and a poorly concieved form of “aid” to a country that still relies on donkeys for agricultural work.
Of course no coup was ever launched by a cabal of farmers, so we must woo these tin pot dictators with our deadly toys. I support Senator Leahy in questioning why we are engaging in this madness.