US senator wants new 'Marshall Plan' for ME

US Senator Lindsey Graham said that he would propose giving emergency appropriations and create what he called a new "Marshall Plan" to provide billions of dollars in economic aid and military support to Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.

"One thing I'm going to talk... about is an emergency appropriation that would help Egypt, Jordan and probably Lebanon to deal with the stresses they're facing," said Graham, the chairman of the US Senate appropriations subcommittee overseeing foreign aid.

"When I look at what Egypt is willing to do (for the US), I think that’s a partner worth investing in," the Republican senator told a gathering of reporters Thursday on Capitol Hill.

"We need to think broadly as a nation about some kind of Marshall Plan for front-line states that would allow Egypt to have access to low-interest loans, preferential trade agreements and bolstering their civil society," he said.

"It’s in our interest for the government to succeed," Graham said, adding that he thinks Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi is the right man to run the country.

Source: MENA