US aid key to Mubarak's hold on power

A United States think tank says continued US military aid to Egypt has played a major role in preserving President Mubarak's 30-year grip on the country.

William Hartung, Director of the Arms and Security Initiative at the New America Foundation, said providing Egypt with all-inclusive military hardware "is a key element in propping up the regime."

He made the comments in an interview with Democracy Now on Monday.

Hartung's remarks come as US foreign aid continues to flow to Mubarak's regime, despite a massive popular uprising against the incumbent president.

Earlier in the week, US President Barak Obama said that he has placed the multi-billion dollar program under review. However, White House officials say that so far, there is no question of cutting it.

Egypt is the second largest recipient of US foreign assistance.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the United States has given Egypt an average of $2 billion annually since 1979. Of the amount, $1.3 billion has been in form of military aid.

Analysts believe that through the massive aid, Washington has been bribing the Mubarak regime to keep Egypt out of the struggle in the Arab-Israeli conflict, and to prevent any threats against Israel in the area.

"The United States' policy in the Middle East, particularly in Egypt, is planned according to the consequences which would affect Israel," said Dr. Aly el-Kabbany, an American policy expert in the Middle East.

He pointed out that it is wrong to assume that the US wants democracy in the Middle East, saying that "democracy is against the interests of the United states" in the region.

So far the US president has adopted a double-standard stance in dealing with the Egyptian revolution.

On Tuesday, Obama once again refused to call on Mubarak to heed the voice of his people and leave crisis-hit Egypt.

Instead, he told Egypt's long-time ruler in a 30-minute phone conversation that he should soon initiate an "orderly" and "peaceful" transition of power in Egypt.

The conversation occurred shortly after Mubarak's announcement that he would not seek re-election in September. Reports say the Egyptian president was ordered by his US counterpart to withdraw from the upcoming poll.

Political analysts believe Obama is performing a delicate balancing act, trying to avoid abandoning Mubarak, while supporting the protesters, who seek broader political rights and are demanding his ouster.

For the past 30 years, Egypt has not only been a crucial US partner in the Middle East, but a linchpin in Washington's strategy for a future Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

Politically-unstable Egypt has been embroiled in deadly riots since January 25.

On Wednesday, millions of demonstrators began gathering across Egypt for the ninth day of revolution protests against Mubarak's regime.

Tanks and troops have been stationed along the route of the march, but the army has promised not to use force against the demonstrators.

Unconfirmed reports say that so far, about 300 people have been killed in the protests.

Protesters have one demand and that is the resignation of President Mubarak. They want a regime change and have dismissed Mubarak's appointment of a vice-president and a new prime minister.

Thousands of people across the world have meanwhile taken to the streets to show their solidarity with Egypt's demonstrators.