An Egyptian woman walks back to her home carrying vegetables on her head in an alley of a neighbourhood in Cairo on Wednesday (AP photo by Mohammad Muheisen)

JORDAN TIMES AP | Feb 09,2012 | 23:42

CAIRO — Egypt refused to back down Wednesday in a dispute with the US over Cairo’s crackdown on non-profit groups despite Washington’s threats to cut aid, while the military deployed troops to the nation’s streets after a surge in violence and protests against its rule.

Egypt’s official MENA news agency said the army was deploying more troops to reinforce the police, restore security and state “prestige”.

The move comes in the wake of a deadly football riot last week that sparked days of clashes between the police and protesters. At least 89 people were killed in a week of violence.

The deployment appeared to be a show of force by the military in response to a surge in criticism of its handling of the country’s transition to democracy and rising calls for the ruling generals to step down. There are calls for a general strike on February 11 that have been gaining traction.

Egypt’s military rulers are also facing a deepening dispute with the US over Cairo’s campaign against foreign-funded pro-democracy and rights groups, which began late last year with raid by security forces on the organisations’ offices.

Authorities allege there is a foreign conspiracy against Egypt to explain the widening protests against the military’s performance.

On Sunday, Egyptian investigative judges referred 16 Americans and 27 others to trial on accusations they illegally used foreign funds to foment unrest in the country.

That immediately drew a sharp rebuke from Washington, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warning that failure to resolve the dispute may lead to the loss of some $1.5 billion in aid to Egypt.

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http://jordantimes.com/egypt-pm-says-us-threats-to-cut-aid-will-not-work

NOTE by the editor: Any Government is entitled to monitor foreign activities on its soil. Many times foreign states have mis-used NGOs for their political purposes. However, Aid always comes with ‘strings attached’. The only way to be really independent is to find ways to live within ones own means. (And then the super powers find others ways to ‘tease’. Ask Libya, Iraq, Iran …)…