Funding Mosques Overseas?

By: Elaine Merritt
July 24th, 2011






A Channel 2 News investigation found last November that the State Department is sending millions of dollars to save mosques overseas. This investment has received criticism as the United States makes an effort to slash nearly $4 trillion in government spending mosques overseas. This investment has received criticism as the United States makes an effort to slash nearly $4 trillion in government spending.  The Channel 2 Action News investigation found a 1,300-year-old Egyptian mosque that was almost flooded by contaminated sewer water that is one of many ancient Cairo mosques and churches that were saved from destruction by the U.S. taxpayers. This is part of a $770 million program to rebuild Cairo’s sewer system, paid for by the U.S. State Department’s USAID program. Millions more dollars have been sent to places like Cyprus. At an ancient mud brick mosque in Mali, the State Department has provided Internet service and computer equipment to local imams.  The State Department declined Channel 2 (Atlanta, GA) an interview. They did, however, send an e-mail saying that they are fighting Islamic extremism by building relationships with Islamic leaders. (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xh7dhd_mosque-makeovers-with-your-tax-dollars-video-wsb-atlanta_news)
  • Is this administration using tax monies to rebuild mosques to support moderates or to support radicals?
  • Should America be in the business of buying “goodwill?”
  • Will this administration explain paying for Internet service and computer equipment for mosques while Americans struggle to pay their bills?
  • Could the Internet service be used to incite violence and extremism worldwide?
  • Should this program be one of many such foreign aid programs that can be cut that do not directly benefit taxpayers?
  • Does the funding of mosques, which houses an organized religion, come under the concept of “wall of separation between church and state?”
  • Should the Americans United for Separation of Church and State defend their principle by calling for the Obama administration to discontinue the funding of mosques with taxpayers’ monies?
You decide.