The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    Government, get your priorities straight

    Members of higher education institutions in Louisiana know how fiscally irresponsible a government can be, but the situation boiling in Cairo, Egypt shows just how irresponsible the government is.
    The United States of America gives $1.5 billion a year to the Egyptian government – most of it to the military. The funds are not handed over in a big sack, but in installments. By Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year, the United States will owe the Egyptian government $585 million unless the aid is suspended. The fledgling “democracy” also receives aid from the United Nations and other countries; some of which are deciding whether or not to cancel their support.
    By law, the United States cannot administer foreign aid to a government that was created by military coup or decree against a democratically elected leader, which is exactly what happened in Egypt. The situation is cut and dry, but Washington is dragging its feet. The Obama administration has bent over backwards to avoid using the word ‘coup’ to describe the situation, so that it may continue to send our money to aid a foreign military in killing over 800 people, mostly supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.  
    It sounds outrageous (because it is), so there must be a reason. After all, the United States is the protector of the free world that may do no wrong. In 1979, the United States created peace accord with Egypt to protect our ally Israel. Basically, our nation is burning money to protect one, small country that is unloved by its neighbors due to its own actions (mostly).
    Thankfully the issue is under heavy debate in Washington, and hopefully the White House will get its priorities straight.  Maybe if the federal government stops spending money on undeserving foreign powers and invests in its own citizens, the financial crisis we feel here in Louisiana will dissipate. For that to happen, however, our own state government will also have to rethink its priorities, something that has historically proven to be difficult for them.
    The borderline civil war happening 6802.4 miles away and our government’s attitude towards it has magnified the presence of issues that affect us here at home. Our leadership, local and federal, loves to take the short, easy road for the sake of politics and asinine relationships; this road will only go so far and eventually end. The longer route is perilous, fraught with difficult, decisive steps, and though we may never reach its end, we will always keep moving forward.
     

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