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Members of US House of Representatives Insist on Making Fools of Themselves, This Time Cutting US Aid to Saudi Arabia !!!
By Hassan El-Najjar
Al-Jazeerah, June 11, 2006
Members of the AIPAC-controlled US Congress insist on amazing us of making fools of themselves again and again.
After passing an act condemning the Palestinian people, victims of Israeli terrorist occupation, now they are amusing us with a new law. This time, they are punishing Saudi Arabia by cutting US foreign aid to the oil-wealthy Arab state.
The measure will cut less than one-half of a million dollars (to be specific: $420,000). This may leave Saudi Arabia on the verge of financial collapse, particularly if we know that it sold oil worth of more than $600 billion, in 2005.
The compound stupidity of the law and the lawmakers who voted for it becomes crystal clear when you know that this amount used to be paid to Saudi Arabia for something the US government needs to do, i.e. to encourage Saudi Arabia " to participate in US-backed military and counter-terrorism training."
Saudi Arabia is the closest ally to the US in the Middle East. While Israel is an American financial, military, and moral liability, Saudi investments in the US, US investments in Saudi Arabia, and the big bilateral trade are very well known. But this doesn't matter for Israel-firsters in the US Congress, whose main job is supporting Israel and its permanent war against Arabs and Muslims.
Let's hope that the American people wake up these inefficient members of Congress, next November, telling them that their first responsibility is America and its national interests, not the interests of Israel.
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GN Headline: US House criticises Saudi Arabia in foreign aid Bill
Gulf News, Reuters
Published: 06/11/2006 12:00 AM 02/06/2008 18:11(UAE)
Washington: The US House of Representatives on Friday took a symbolic jab at Saudi Arabia, accusing the kingdom of fuelling religious extremism and violence, as it passed a $21.3 billion (Dh78.2 billion) foreign aid Bill.
The Bill for next fiscal year, which is $600 million (Dh2.2 billion) above the current level but $2.4 billion (Dh8.8 billion) less than President George W. Bush sought, cleared the House easily on a 373-34 vote. The Senate has not yet taken up its version of the Bill.
Decrying Saudi Arabia for teaching intolerance and financing terrorism, lawmakers voted 312-97 to cut the $420,000 (Dh1.5 million) the kingdom receives to participate in US-backed military and counter-terrorism training.
"I hope my colleagues send a strong signal symbolically that enough is enough," said Democrat Representative Joseph Crowley.
The funds are intended to provide classroom space and pay for experts to help train counter-terrorism police.
Representative Jim Kolbe, an Arizona Republican, said the measure would hurt efforts to foster Saudi Arabia as a partner in fighting terrorism.
But his was a lonely voice.
Congress has passed similar measures in the past, but Bush has used a waiver to clear the funds to Saudi Arabia.
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| Earth, a planet hungry for peace |
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| The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04). | ||
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python (Alquds, 1/25/03. |