By Stephen Zunes in Truthout

Washington's continued support for the Egyptian dictatorship in the face of massive pro-democracy protests is yet another sign that both Congress and the Obama administration remain out of touch with the growing demands for freedom in the Arab world. Just last month, Obama and the then-Democratic-controlled Congress approved an additional $1.3 billion in security assistance to help prop up Hosni Mubarak's repressive regime.

In the course of some pro-democracy civil insurrections, such as those in Iran and Burma, Washington has strongly condemned the regime and provided strong words of encouragement for the pro-democracy activists challenging their repression. In a couple of cases, such as Serbia and Ukraine, the United States and other Western countries even provided limited amounts of economic assistance to pro-democracy groups. Most of the time, however, and particularly if the dictatorship is a US ally like Egypt, Washington has shown little enthusiasm for such freedom struggles.

The United States has defended its support of the Mubarak dictatorship as part of the war on terror, seeing the Egyptian regime as a bulwark against Islamic extremism; however, the main organizers of the massive street protests are the 6 April youth movement, which is not only alienated from the secular Mubarak regime, but from the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists, as well. The Brotherhood refused to back up the protesters through the morning of January 25, (though it later opportunistically endorsed them as it witnessed hundreds of thousands of ordinary Egyptians joining the protesters' ranks). The demonstrators being beaten, shot and tear-gassed by U.S.-supplied equipment want freedom and justice, not theocracy.

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Email, call, fax, or write U.S. decision-makers: Stop funding the Mubarak regime now!

The U.S. government must break its ties to the current regime in Egypt. As courageous Egyptian citizens are being bombarded with U.S. tear gas and other Made-in-the-USA weapons. The U.S. gives $1.3 billion a year of our tax dollars to Hosni Mubarak.  Since 1948, the U.S. has given Egypt $68 billion in aid.  Since 1979, Egypt has been the second-biggest recipient of U.S. aid after Israel.  

Call on President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the U.S. Congress to:

• Stand with our Egyptian sisters and brothers by committing to stop funding the oppressive regime of Mubarak

• With Reps. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Jim McDermott (D-WA), and Jim McGovern (D-MA), call on the Government of Egypt to stop using violence against its own people; allow the free flow of information over the Internet, phone networks and in the media; and engage immediately with the Egyptian people on reforms.

President Barack Obama

The White House

Washington, D.C. 20500

White House Comment Desk

(202) 456-1111 phone

(202) 456-2461 fax

 www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Secretary of State

2201 C Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20520

(202) 647-6575 phone

(202) 647-2283 fax

www.state.gov

U.S. Capitol switchboard

(202) 224-3121

www.congress.gov

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Sign the Petition for Freedom in Egypt!

In a chilling move that could set a dangerous global precedent, Egypt's government has responded to pro-democracy protests by shutting down access to the Internet. They hope to make it impossible for protesters to coordinate, and to hide the government's brutal crackdown from the eyes of the world.

Raise your voice for universal freedom of speech and freedom of information by signing a petition calling on President Obama to withhold any more aid to Egypt unless their government reopens the channels of communication, including the Internet, and honors the Egyptian people's demands for true democracy.

Click here to sign the petition for freedom in Egypt now!