By Rand Paul
Obama acts as though we no longer have a Constitution
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
Several Washington-based human rights groups are facing criticism for awarding two radical Egyptian Islamists who have endorsed terrorism and expressed hostility toward Israel.
Egypt's security deteriorated sharply Tuesday as violent clashes in Cairo and elsewhere raised questions about the ruling Islamist party's control of the country.
Israel massed troops outside the Gaza Strip late Thursday, signaling that it was prepared to send in ground forces to engage Hamas militants who bombarded the Jewish state with more than 200 missiles and killed at least three people.
The election of Egypt's first Islamist president poses a challenge for the Obama administration, which is grappling with the reality of embracing a leader whose worldview often has been at odds with Washington.
An Islamist who believes that the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States were an American conspiracy is the front-runner in Egypt's presidential race, a new poll shows.
"Most disturbingly, pro-democratic and human rights organizations, which should be at the forefront of advancing democratic ideals, are the ones overlooking these awardees' blatantly violent views and thus contributing to this defining down," Trager said.
Human Rights Watch selects proponent of terrorism as finalist for award →
"The fact that so many democracy awards are being given to people who do not embrace democratic values suggests that the very notion of 'pro-democratic' is being defined down," said Eric Trager, an Egypt expert and senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Human Rights Watch selects proponent of terrorism as finalist for award →
