Christians Under Attack

WASHINGTON — The United States plans to reduce military aid to states in Middle East not involved in the war on terrorism. Officials said the Bush administration has submitted a budget designed to reduce military aid to what they termed non-critical allies in the Middle East and other regions, Middle East Newsline reported.

Aid would be determined by immediate need and whether these countries serve in the war against Al Qaida and its allies.

"We're trying to stabilize foreign aid and concentrate on GWOT [global war on terrorism]," an official said. "Unfortunately, certain countries would be affected."

Under the plan, Egypt, Israel and Lebanon would see an increase in U.S. military aid for fiscal 2008. Other U.S. allies, such as Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen, would receive less military assistance.

"The top five or six recipients of foreign assistance: Israel is 2.4 billion [dollars], Egypt is 1.721 billion," U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Randall Tobias told a briefing on Feb. 5. "Those are both down a bit from '06 consistent with the glide path that was negotiated almost 10 years ago as part of the Camp David agreement."

Israel would receive $2.4 billion and Egypt $1.3 billion in military aid for fiscal 2008, which begins in October 2007. Under a formula established in 1997, Israel would no longer receive U.S. economic assistance.

The U.S. cuts for the Middle East would come in the Foreign Military Financing initiative. Under the State Department request, Jordan would receive $200 million in fiscal 2008, down from $207.9 million in 2006. Officials said the aid to Jordan would support military modernization, border surveillance and counterterrorism efforts.

Bahrain would see the largest decrease in FMF funds. Under the request, Bahrain would receive $4.3 million in fiscal 2008, down from $15.5 million in fiscal 2006. The department did not report how much military aid was granted to Manama and other U.S. allies in the Middle East in 2007.

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The United States has allocated $10.1 million in military aid to Oman in fiscal 2008, down from $13.8 million in 2006. Tunisia would receive $2.06 million, down from $8.4 million last year.

Yemen would obtain $4.6 million in 2008, down from $8.4 million in 2006. The department plans to grant Sudan $300,000 in military training funds in fiscal 2008.

The United States would continue to increase FMF aid to Lebanon. Officials said Lebanon, which received $220 million in supplemental aid in 2007, would receive $9.6 million in fiscal 2008, up from $3.7 million in 2006.

The State Department has asked for $21 million to maintain the U.S. contribution to the Multinational Force and Observers mission in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Another $10 million was requested to continue support for the Trans-Sahara Counter-terrorism Partnership, which includes Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

The State Department has also requested military training assistance to a range of Arab states. Under the International Military Education and Training program, Algeria would receive $700,000 for fiscal 2008, down from $823,000 in 2006.

Libya would receive $1.5 million; Jordan, $2 million; Egypt, $650,000; Morocco, $350,000; Tunisia, $1.5 million, for IMET in fiscal 2008, a decrease for the four latter countries. The United States has allocated $1.8 million to the United Arab Emirates, $3.06 million for Kuwait, $1.5 million for Qatar and $15,000 for Saudi Arabia.

Officials said IMET programs, totaling $15.7 million for the Middle East, would be focused on Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman and Tunisia. Officials said the current budget request marked the first time Libya could receive U.S. military assistance.

"New IMET programs will be launched in sustaining partnership countries, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar," the department said.

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