About That Democracy Plan in Egypt

Two U.S. political activists groups pushing for what is largely an undefined “democracy” in Egypt under the guise of  human rights/ election monitoring [U.S. Government funded]  programs have been told they will not be allowed to leave Egypt recently. The two groups involved are the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute.  (NDI) Their mission statements are as follows:

IRI –  A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, IRI advances freedom and democracy worldwide by developing political parties, civic institutions, open elections, democratic governance and the rule of law.

NDI – A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

According to this IRI retread of a New York Times news report, “In addition to Mr. LaHood, four other employees from the Republican Institute, including two Americans, had been barred from travel. Officials of the National Democratic Institute said that six of its employees had been banned, including three Americans.” That would be current Obama appointee and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s son Sam, they are referring to in that paragraph,as he is listed as the current Director of the IRI.

As is always the case when Americans are detained abroad for what has been termed “politically charged” criminal investigations, the devil is always in the details. For instance, this problem didn’t just pop up on Thursday when Sam LaHood and company were detained. As a matter of fact President Obama actually called Egyptian Field Marshall Tantawi on Wednesday, the day before the people were detained. In that call he told the Field Marshall that this year’s American military aid hinged on satisfying new Congressional legislation requiring that Egypt’s military government take tangible steps toward democracy, said three people briefed on the conversation. So apparently, there were concerns prior to this week that there were investigations into possibly illegal political activities in Egypt.

Considering that last spring the Egyptian government had initiated a formal criminal investigation into  foreign financing of non-profit groups operating in Egypt during the now infamous Arab Spring, it seems ludicrous to suggest that the U.S. State dept. and the Obama administration did not see all of this coming. Then again, just this past December, heavily armed Egyptian police officers raided several of these “rights groups” offices included four that were funded by the U.S. Government. Of course the U.S. Gov’t. denounced these raids as attempts to block the human rights and democracy building groups from their stated missions of helping the people of Egypt to install a new government through a fair democratic voting process.

The question here is whether or not the United States government has the right to interfere with the formation of a new government and the creation of a new constitution. Americans were told that Egypt is free from the tyrannical dictator now, and the people can install the government of their choice through free and fair elections. So why is the U.S. still over there trying to manipulate and control the formation of the new government? This is why the U.S is hated in that part of the world. This is also why other countries are now here in America demanding that their religions and laws be obeyed here. Sharia law is now being injected into the American judicial system in many states, causing them to draft legislation that specifically outlaws Sharia law defenses in their states. We have no business influencing the political system of Egypt or any other country through political activist groups that are funded by our very own government. The U.N. is supposed to help ensure fair elections in countries where the government has been toppled like in Egypt. It is one thing to try to help to ensure fair elections, yet it is a whole new ballgame when we are caught trying to push for Western-style democracy  in a country rooted in 7^th century Islamic ideology. The detention of these political activists in Egypt is a stiff warning to the American government. Stay out of  Egypt’s business .