Egyptian Military Dictators Figure U.S. Doesn't Really Give A Shit About Democracy

The Egyptian military oligarchy simultaneously raided the offices of  at least 17 NGOs on December 29^th, stealing computers and other equipment and records. Human rights and democracy groups were targeted.

So far, the U.S. response has consisted of clearing its throat:

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters that  “We were very clear that this issue needs immediate attention and we look forward to hearing back from the Egypt government.” Nuland  called the raids “inconsistent with the bilateral cooperation we have had over many years.” Pointing out that Congress (for the first time ever) tied the massive military aid to democratic “progress,” Nuland admonished the Egyptian government that it “needs to be aware of this.”

Please give this your immediate attention and get back to us. And did you know, we could reduce your gravy train a bit?

Wow! That sounds tough! Look out, Egyptian military!

 Now we'll just have to see who calls whose bluff.

The U.S. Insisted that the military dictators provide an explanation, and return the stolen property. [Speaking of state thievery, “asset forfeiture” is an annual multi-billion dollar business for the Federal and State Governments in the U.S. There is no court procedure or due process, just a claim by the thieves that the asset is “tainted” by illegal activity. For example, Louisiana routinely steals cars of out-of-staters passing through- a story covered by CBS' 60 Minutes, so it's no secret or mere “accusation,” but established fact. The entire burden of proving innocence is on the victims, who must initiate court cases at their own expense- not viable given that the legal costs would be greater than the value of the stolen assets in most cases, plus in corrupt states like Louisiana the “judges” are part of the criminal political machine that rules the state. Excuse the necessary digression. I speak of things that are not spoken of, hence the title “Taboo Truths.”]

Here are the most important facts to focus on: the actual money.

For 2011, the U.S. is providing about $1.3 BILLION (i.e. one thousand three hundred millions) in military aid to the repressive Egyptian military machine.

To balance this, the U.S. is providing $65 MILLION in “democracy-building” funds.

In other words, a ratio of about 20 to 1 in favor of repression over civil society breathing space. Bolstering yet another military dictatorship is 20 times as important as aiding democracy.

That's consistent with U.S. history, starting in 1789.

The U.S. has long branded itself as having some kind of patent on democracy, freedom, and human rights, but that noisy boasting has always been just one of two things: the most mendacious propaganda, or a politico-ideological stick with which to beat official enemies like the Soviet Union, Cuba, Iran POST-Shah ONLY, etc. I believe that “actions speak louder than words.” Actual U.S. actions include coups that destroyed democracy in places like Iran (1953) and Guatemala (1954) which have never gotten it back, and Chile (1973) which has never recovered socially and whose people today suffer under a Milton Friedmanesque economic system. (Which American ideologues thinks is swell, of course.) Invasions to overthrow unwanted regimes. The establishment of mass-murdering death squad terror regimes in most of Latin America. And lots more.

Oh yes, on the other side of the ledger, as is frequently mentioned, after the Allies defeated the Axis powers in World War II, 66 years ago, electoral systems were established in Germany, Japan, and Italy. (Unmentioned: lots of fascists just changed their stripes to “democrats” and kept right on running things in those countries. Oh, and did I mention all the war criminals the U.S. hired/protected after the war? But there was a show trial of a tiny handful of surviving higher-ups in Nuremberg, good propaganda to this day. After the murder of tens of millions of people and the devastation of a continent, they could hardly let everyone off scot-free. Even S.S. murderers of American prisoners were cut loose, with the help of Joe McCarthy and other U.S. fascists.)

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