The United States sent four more top-of-the-line F-16 fighter jets to Egypt on Thursday, as part of a foreign aid promise that critics blast as aid for an anti-Israel entity.
“Friends don’t send U.S. taxpayer-funded F-16s and tanks to the enemies of their friends,” said Rep. Louie Gohmert, to Fox News.
He was referring to America’s 2010 billion-dollar foreign aid deal with then-President Hosni Mubarak. The deal called for America to send 20 F-16s to Egypt; Thursday’s shipment brings to 12 the total that’s been sent. The remaining eight will be sent before the end of the year, Fox News said.
But critics say the program should have been reevaluated.
President Mohammad Morsi now leads — and his tone is more aggressive against America. For instance, the Muslim Brotherhood-backed leader attacked Mr. Obama in 2010 for supporting Israel.
“One American president after another — and most recently, that Obama — talks about American guarantees for the safety of the Zionists in Palestine,” Mr. Morsi said in the Fox News report, in reaction to Mr. Obama’s Cairo speech in 2009.
Mr. Morsi has also promoted the teaching of hatred of Jewish people, the Middle East Media Research Institute said.
“Dear brothers, we must not forget to nurse our children and grandchildren on hatred toward these Zionists and Jews and all those who support him,” the group reported Mr. Morsi as saying in 2010. “They must be nursed on hatred. The hatred must continue.”
Since taking office last year, Mr. Morsi has toned down his anti-American rhetoric. But critics say he still harbors the same expressed 2010 views toward the Jewish community and that upholding the terms of the aid package with him constitutes an American betrayal of Israel.
The State Department declined to confirm the shipment, Fox News reported. But Fox News said a Fort Worth, Texas, air base officials said the fighter jets had been sent.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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