Ted Yoho: Cut Off Foreign Aid to Egypt

Freshman U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., weighed in on the situation in Egypt on Wednesday. Yoho sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee as well as the Middle East and South Asia subcommittee and the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade subcommittee.

Back when I was a veterinarian, if someone brought me something that looked like a duck and quacked, I probably wouldnt call it a horse, Yoho said. The presidents decision not to call the situation in Egypt a coup when every indication points to it being one undermines our credibility as a nation. While we play guessing games on what to call it, we allow billions of American tax dollars to be spent to further chaos in the region. If we have laws, we should follow them.

Current U.S. law states that when a coup takes place, foreign aid is suspended, Yoho added. By not following our own laws, we lose credibility in asking Egypt to follow theirs. Dancing around the issue is no way to lead. Rather than fueling turmoil in Egypt, we should focus on building here at home. I applaud any nations desire for liberty; however, billions in American tax dollars should not go toward furthering violence. The rising death toll in Egypt indicates that the current government may be no more worthy of American friendship than the last.