House, Senate Opposition Dropped on Military Aid to Egypt

Opposition in Congress to the Ford Administration’s military supply relationship with Egypt ended today with both Senate and House opponents deciding to allow the 20-year American embargo on weapons to be lifted.

Sen. Clifford Case (R.NJ), the last holdout against the sale of six C-130 troop transports to Egypt and the training of Egyptian military officers in U.S. centers, expressed satisfaction with the Administration’s assurances in writing that its program is limited.

Previously, Senators Jacob K. Javits (R.NY) and Hubert H. Humphrey (D.Minn.) agreed to go along with the Administration after the Administration specifically asserted no other sale would be made to Egypt this year. Case, however, insisted on limits on training, too, and the State Department said only 20 officers would be trained this year. The letter, made public by Case, was signed by Assistant Secretary of State Robert McCloskey that carried Secretary of State Henry A, Kissinger’s approval, the Senator said.

Meanwhile, the House International Relations subcommittee concerned with the subject was reported to have decided it would recommend to its parent committee tomorrow that the sale not be opposed in view of the testimony presented to Congress by Kissinger and Undersecretary of State Joseph J. Sisco and McCloskey’s letter.

Congress is empowered to veto any governmental military sale in excess of $25 million by acting within 20 days after receiving Presidential notice of It. The time on the Egyptian deal expires April 14. This particular sale involves about $65 million, nearly all of it in aircraft and parts and the training of the crews to use them.

In announcing his decision to allow both the sale and training, Case said, “I also take into account the Secretary’s assurance this sale will not be considered a precedent for Congress.” He said this assurance is “important” in view of Sisco’s testimony that Egypt probably will seek additional military equipment next year. “I still believe we should not supply lethal military weapons to Egypt,” Case said. “It would be folly to add to the momentum of the arms race in the Middle East.”

Case’s particular concern on the training arrangement was that it “opened the door to a potentially wide-ranging training program for Egyptian military officers.” He expressed concern that “the loophole might be used to allow the training” of Egyptians in strategy, tactics and “even more important, in weapons systems which Congress has not approved for sale to Egypt.”