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Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense KT McFarland breaks down how to aid the Middle East in the U.S.'s best interest.
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That now President Obama set to speak here in moments giving a big speech job where he'll mention among other things.
US aid to the Middle East.
Egypt and Tunisia tickle our but after the death of Osama bin Laden does that money need to be spent elsewhere.
-- of that region or reevaluated let's ask KT McFarland former deputy assistant secretary of defense.
A fireworks here at Fox -- -- do you particularly speaking of the money to Egypt and Tunisia -- you liked the way that this this aid is structured is this a good thing.
Historically -- I think we made a mistake and a lot of these countries in the Middle East including Pakistan Egypt and I was.
Where we've given a lot of military assistance which -- they've dealt with whatever they want in the case of Pakistan frankly a lot of its been diverted to make nuclear weapons.
And what we've not done is a soft power -- we're not done is give -- economic development assistance and we have built schools so for example again if you look at Pakistan.
They have they're having schools -- so public education the only -- you can send your kid to this free.
Are the madrassas and those -- the schools that are training terrorists -- the money instead went to our enemies yeah.
I don't know I think that we need to be shrewd about how we spend our money I don't think we should get at all smelter assistance.
I do think though that we should.
What we should recognize and always stepped back what's in the interest of the United States right we want to keep.
Low oil prices and a steady supply of oil and we have an obligation of the State of Israel.
So what we need to do is however we deal with these countries in each one is a different case we want the flexibility so that we can.
Guarantee those -- -- the other staffers and -- -- but it's not a redolent.
You know there's a very it's kind of simplistic view out there and -- -- -- it's right that -- you know we're in a point in our history right now we have somebody.
-- -- debt and -- a large deficit that we can't afford to be sending any money over there but you seem to think now that group.
-- well I don't -- at least daddy you Eric for example how much is it gonna cost us if all those countries that are going to be -- spring and up with governments.
That are Islamist and anti American and you know coming to get us that's what -- -- good investment money would be to prevent that from happening on the other hand if you give.
Three billion dollars a year to Pakistan and they divert my Sebastian making nuclear weapons are aiding the Taliban in directly in protecting bin Laden -- -- -- That they lack of control over how the money is.
Also the corruption because -- obvious countries where the leadership just skims off ten or 15%.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Of companies that are going to invest in Egypt he got a probably need to pass where the Arab spring and all the demonstrators -- problems also remain.
Lousy economy big demographic problems of unemployed youth he got to address that or you're gonna see Egypt joining and the one direction we don't want to -- RK ET always good to see a great analysis as always skating before -- problem has always can't --
