Don’t Belittle Egypt

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/31/opinion/us-egypt.html

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To the Editor:

Andrew Miller and Richard Sokolsky (“Actually, Egypt Is a Terrible Ally,” Op-Ed, Dec. 19) belittle Egypt’s importance to the United States. Egypt is resolute in its fight against terrorism, militarily as well as through modernizing religious discourse and increasing tolerance.

Egypt is also undertaking a challenging economic reform program that has been applauded by international observers and is strengthening its national institutions in a region plagued by eroding nation-states.

These efforts are aligned with America’s long-term interests in the region. A country diligently working to this end should be supported, not alienated. America reaps many benefits from supporting Egypt and advancing our shared priorities. The assistance that the writers want to reduce has always been, and should remain, a tool to support allies, not one to “extract concessions.”

This is not to say that Egypt’s journey toward a modern nation-state is complete. But the resolve of the Egyptian people and government is unshakable, and I hope we will be able to reflect and say that “the United States was our partner along the way.”

YASSER REDA, WASHINGTON

The writer is the Egyptian ambassador to the United States.