US 'losing credibility by the day' on Egypt: ElBaradei
The United States is "losing credibility by the day" in calling for democracy in Egypt while continuing to support President Hosni Mubarak, leading dissident Mohamed ElBaradei said on Sunday. Australian
ElBaradei repeated his call for the longtime strongman to step down, going so far as to assert it should happen within the next three days.
HIGHLIGHTS
"The American government cannot ask the Egyptian people to believe that a dictator who has been in power for 30 years will be the one to implement democracy," ElBaradei told the U.S. network CBS from Cairo.
"You are losing credibility by the day. On one hand you're talking about democracy, rule of law and human rights, and on the other hand you're lending still your support to a dictator that continues to oppress his people," added ElBaradei.
Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, is now an opposition leader in Egypt.
His recommendations to President Barack Obama's administration were blunt: "You have to stop the life support to the dictator and root with the people."
“It's better for President Obama not to appear that he is the last one to say to President Mubarak, 'It's time for you to go.’”
FACTS & FIGURES
Over 120 people have been killed and several thousands wounded in ongoing anti-government protests aimed at ending President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. Protesters demand that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak must step down.
The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Sunday for an "orderly transition" in Egypt. Clinton has reiterated that the Obama Administration does not seek and would not support the ouster of Mubarak.
Egypt is considered one of the United States' strongest allies in the Middle East and the Arab World.
The U.S. has given Egypt an average of $2bn annually since 1979, much of it in military aid, according to the Congressional Research Service. The combined total makes Egypt the second largest recipient of U.S. aid after Israel. Telegraph
In 2010, $1.3bn went to strengthen Egyptian forces versus $250m in economic aid.
Another $1.9m went for training meant to bolster long-term U.S.-Egyptian military cooperation. Egypt also receives hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of excess military hardware annually from the Pentagon.