Should US continue to send aid to Egypt?

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Pressure is mounting on lawmakers to stop or at least delay US military aid to Egypt at a time when uncertainty remains over Egypt's leaders ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

And if the US military hardware would be used against Israel.

Now later this month our government plans to make good on a promise to deliver its first shipment of fighter jets tankers and millions of dollars in other aid to Egypt.

This is all part of a billion dollar aid package courtesy of the American taxpayer.

The deal that was signed it when former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was in charge.

Joining us now for some perspective on all this retired.

General and former vice chief of staff of the army general Jack -- along with a lot of -- the senior fellow with the Hoover Institute gentlemen welcome great to have you here today discredited -- you.

General he let me begin with you it's no secret that Egypt's president Morrissey has been a long time member of the Muslim Brotherhood and has -- a power grab recently the US military deal was done when we knew we had a strong ally in Mubarak what kind of leverage do we have now.

Well I think we still have certainly leverage here with a billion dollars in aid and continuing to -- and and trained Egyptian military.

I think what more she wants to sort of the deal that Mubarak had in the sense that.

That he would support off foreign policy and issues and initiatives in the Middle East -- to peachtree and also help with the radicals.

And and in return we had our hands off of any domestic politics.

And concerns about political social injustice and lack of economic opportunity for -- people.

While we continued -- eight.

And -- that seems to me that the path we are on now.

With with Morsi and I believe -- and continue -- say that should be at least be condition based.

So that we have a say about some of the things that -- used -- -- -- actions that he's taken.

Well flawed though there are some who believe that more she's regime has distances -- from Washington and that Morrissey who became the first Egyptian leader.

To visit Iran since the 1979 revolution shouldn't be all.

Really concerned that the military hardware that's being delivered there could be used against us our live -- she's -- Israel.

Well you know I think in general -- has -- despite.

In fact we're not really given aid to the more -- government of the more cities in north of the Muslim Brotherhood just be honest about this we're getting aid to the office on core.

To the Egyptian military.

Which has been the -- Egyptian political life and this Egyptian military say what you will about it.

It's not the city in minutes and it doesn't -- its own people.

It has played a positive role to push -- under the bus when it was time for him to go and it has been -- -- decent and benign force.

Integrate the -- that we have seen in Egypt over the last two years they'd give you military is -- only -- really a political stability.

In in Egypt today and that's the people who have invested our money -- dollars other weapons in.

So we shouldn't be concerned about the -- that's going forward now.

Well I think we should because then we should be concerned about the direction of Egypt as a country the direction of Egypt a society.

And you know much in a way if you go back and look at these dependable -- things were not well under Nevada the -- -- had -- Egyptian political life he was not.

The most reliable of allies he'd he -- -- that's most of the time.

So in fact we should not be we should not lament the passing of the dictators that we should watch with the Egyptian military is doing.

It's the only did it to an address we have been kind of it's really did -- -- military that would come -- and I'll.

Also want to Afghanistan now and the efforts to move ahead with troop withdrawals there.

It's risky right now given the fact that there are big questions of competence over Karzai's leadership and how he would deliver basic services.

To his people general -- how do you assess the situation.

Well first of all Karzai is going to be transition in -- fourteen and I think we'll.

-- -- will -- get a transformational government but we'll get a government but I think it will make some incremental improvements.

And we shouldn't be too optimistic about major transformation secondly in terms what's.

In need in the news right now with the options that are on the table that the suggestion that we would leave only 60101000.

Troops behind.

It is really a huge mistake on my part -- it is from my point of view I think its borders on irresponsibility much as.

We left no residual force in Iraq that that force would be -- -- -- ineffective in terms of supporting.

The Afghan ground forces the way they need support.

They mostly an infantry force and they need to have other enablers that they have right now that we're providing.

And one of them one of those options is to provide those and -- -- and the other is we wanna counterterrorism force which is military jargon for.

Using night -- stick to kill and capture.

Talabani leaders.

And you have to do -- from multiple basis you cannot do it just from an air base outside of -- given the size of that country.

These options will not be able fulfill and meet those obligations.

Lot of Johnny everything that pentagon reports.

Showed that only one of Afghan army's point three -- -- was able to operate independently.

Without care or other military support from the US tornado.

Do you expect things to improve -- by 2014.

I think this -- engagement and -- -- -- -- has been nothing short of catastrophic.

And if you look -- the -- of what we've done.

Over the last eleven years and you look at the sacrifices the last twelve years now.

-- we've had in Afghanistan we don't really have much to show -- it we have this break and Hamid Karzai as president.

We have dysfunction and units.

That have made to have that recently -- of -- soldiers that are killing our own people and I think some.

Hundreds of billions they thought it went over 2000 American casualties fatalities in in -- -- -- war.

This is the good war remember this is what President Obama described it as the good -- There's nothing good about that war and come 2014 when we -- that country.

That chaos would claim of gonna stand on the Talabani would claim and of Afghanistan and I'll work would have been for not.

While that's a very sobering up picture that you paint their all right gentlemen thank you so much for joining us there with your insights I appreciate it.

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Should US continue to send aid to Egypt?

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