Why the Rubio Amendment makes sense

Ken Blackwell &amp; Robert Morrison Senior Fellows, Family Research Council









Sen. Rubio told the Washington Times:




When the U.S. demands respect for human rights, including religious freedom, we are not making any unreasonable demands. Egypt is not moving ahead toward greater democracy if 84% of Egyptians still believe — as they have told the Pew poll — that anyone who leaves Islam should be killed.

It will not matter if 99% of Egyptians, or Afghans or Iraqis, vote if by their votes they install a murderous regime. Does anyone think that the Nazi regime was legitimate because Germans voted to affirm Hitler’s assumption of dictatorial powers in 1934? You cannot vote on who gets shot. You cannot use the voting machines of democracy to kill democracy.

We should shed no tears for Hosni Mubarak. His iron-fisted rule of 31 years was a purchased peace. He agreed not to make war on Israel, but his regime circulated throughout the Arabic-speaking world a multi-part TV drama series based on the long-discredited Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

That libelous attack on the Jews was first concocted by the Okhrana, the Tsar’s infamous secret police. And Mubarak used it the same way the tsars used it: Keep the wolves at bay by throwing the Jews off the sled.

Still, as bad as Mubarak was, Morsi is on course to be worse.

That’s why the Rubio Amendment should be adopted. It’s why religious freedom should be at the heart of American foreign and domestic policy.

Egypt and the other countries in the Mideast will never be stable, much less democratic, if they murder their neighbors who worship differently. U.S. tax dollars should not buy the Egypt’s MB and its military the armored personnel carriers they use to run over Christians.

Ken Blackwell and Bob Morrison are senior Fellows at the Family Research Council in Washington. D.C. Mr. Blackwell serves on board of advisors to the Jewish Institute of National Security Affairs.