WASHINGTON: The United States government is looking to reduce the amount of foreign aid they give out in an effort to reduce federal spending. US House Republicans are hoping a new bill being advanced that would also slash payments to the United Nations and other international organizations, will also put major restrictions on aid to Pakistan, Egypt and other foreign countries. The bill aims to “rein” in President Barack Obama's policies and slice $6.4 billion from his $51 billion request for foreign payments for 2012. However, despite being an easy pass in the Republican controlled House of Representatives, the bill will most likely be “dead on arrival” as the Washington Post reported, as the Senate remains in the Democrats hands are they are unlikely to approve the reduction in foreign aid. The legislation “puts that government on notice . . . that they will be held to account if they continue to refuse to cooperate with our efforts to eliminate the nuclear black market, destroy the remaining elements of Osama Bin Laden's network, and vigorously pursue our counterterrorism objectives,” said committee chairman Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.). Many Republicans are apprehensive of delivering money to foreign countries where real or perceived threats to American interests exist. In Pakistan, they worry that money sent to Islamabad will be used for Islamic extremism and groups listed on the US State Departments terrorist list. In Egypt, where a revolution has taken down long-time US ally Hosni Mubarak and democratic reforms are under way, Republicans still fear the Muslim Brotherhood, who is likely to do well in November elections. Although not a terrorist organization, conservatives fear that the group aims to divert democratic change in Egypt. BM
