When to stop aiding Egypt

Despite the continued crackdown on dissent by the country's new government, a national security expert and former diplomat does not think the U.S. should move too quickly to cut off military aid to Egypt.

In December, President Obama signed a bill that made further military aid to Egypt conditional. Now, it will only continue if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton certifies that the new government is "implementing policies to protect freedom of expression, association and religion, and due process of law."

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN) have sent a letter to Clinton, urging her not to restore the funding while the Egyptians continue to crack down on activists and non-governmental organizations who are calling for freedom of expression and the rule of law.

John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, recently appeared on Sandy Rios' show on American Family Radio to discuss the situation.

"In the short term, I'd basically withhold some of that aid until all of the charges against the Americans and the local Egyptians who were working with them have been dropped and until we have a clearer view of what's happening to the Coptics," he offers.

But he does not think the U.S. should make the final decision on cutting the aid just yet.

"I'd rather be in a position where we conclude that it's just hopeless in Egypt and then cut the aid off," he decides, "not cut the aid off and then have the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists use that as a campaign issue for them to gain even more power."

If it is apparent later in the year that the pro-West, pro-democracy elements have failed, he concludes that there will still be time to cut off the aid entirely.