CAIRO – Egyptians of varying political stripes expressed skepticism and sasuke costume indifference to the news that the Obama administration is shifting decades of U.S. foreign policy by cutting aid to the Egyptian military for not moving fast enough to restore democracy.
"I think it will not make a big difference, and this decision will be revised probably in three or four months because both parties need each other," said Mohamed Abou El Ghar, head of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, a liberal group.
Since Egypt's military ousted the nation's first freely elected leader in July with the backing of millions of Egyptians, the United States has mulled cutting aid to the regionally strategic nation. Even so, Washington hasn't described the overthrow of Mohammed Morsi as a coup, which would require the United States by law to cut military assistance.
Said Sadek, a political sociologist at the American University in Cairo and an activist, said the cutting of aid "doesn't look like a serious thing."
US CUTS AID: State Dept. says aid will be cut
Any halting of aid could benefit – rather than negatively effect – Egypt's most powerful institution, Sadek said.
"It will be used domestically to mobilize public opinion to support the army," Sadek said, as well as to support Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, who overthrew Morsi in July and is being pushed by some supporters to run in the country's next presidential election.
"It will look like Obama is pressuring the independent, patriotic Al-Sisi," Sadek said, "so if Al-Sisi is going to use that to look like a national hero … it will help his media campaign if he wants to be elected as a president. It will boost him."
Omar Ayman, a student at an American school in Cairo and a supporter of the military general, said he doesn't care about the United States and whether or not it will cut aid.
"We are strong people, and we don't need any help from anyone," he said, echoing a sentiment that has been widespread here in recent months. "If they want to help us, they have to be good to sakura cosplay costume us, not just give us money and treat us in a bad way."
Others say halting aid could have serious implications.
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