Tag: imperialism

USAID in Egypt

Posted on By 3arabawy

The US efforts for promoting democracy in Egypt include:

Ninety percent of the total US$6 billion in USAID granted to Egypt over the past 30 years has been misused, while it is unknown where the rest was spent, a report by the Economic Studies Center revealed. USAID is a US agency whose primary purpose is to distribute civilian foreign aid.
The report said the grants were originally directed to support democracy and human rights, but were spent on salaries of foreign consultants, parties and conferences.
The center based its findings on reports by the USAID and the Egyptian Central Auditing Organization.
It also said that USAID gave the government $50 million to spend on education, of which $10 million were spent on scholarships for Egyptians to study in the United States.

Egypt’s 1968: The revival of street politics

Posted on By 3arabawy

Above is Chapter IV of the MA Thesis I wrote 10 years ago, when studying at the American University in Cairo’s Political Science department. This chapter discusses the revival of the student movement following the 1967 defeat.

Of course reading it today I wish if I would have edited some parts, changed the lingo here and there, and added more resources and info I’ve been learning over the past years.

But in general I still think the thesis stands, and could help shed some light on this critical period in the history of the left in Egypt.

US warns against nationalization of industries in Egypt

Posted on By 3arabawy

Margaret Scobey, the hypocrite who was publicly praising Mubarak as an ally in the past, only to change the rhetoric and become some Nelson Mandela following the revolution, is now trying to tell us what to do and what not to do about our economy, even when she’s leaving her post. Speaking to Ahram Online:

“A return to nationalisation will be a huge disincentive to investment,” the United States ambassador to Egypt said in a media roundtable held at the US embassy on Saturday.
“I think Egypt has to make its choice and find an economic policy that would solve its prompt problems; to create jobs and social justice,” said Margaret Scobey, answering a question from Ahram Online on whether Egypt’s growing appetite for nationalisation and public sector involvement would affect US aid policy towards the country.
“Yet I think the public sector cannot [solve its problems],” she said. “History proves privatisation has been very healthy, helpful and successful in helping many countries transform to democracy.”

History has proven that privatization has destroyed our lives, our economy, accumulated the wealth even more in the hands of few. Which history books do you read Scobey? The demand for nationalizing the privatized industries has topped the agenda of the strike wave over the past five years and during the revolution. And whether the American viceroy agrees or not, the campaign to reclaim the privatized factories will continue.