The Biden Administration is going to bring teenagers from the GNA-controlled enclave in Libya to Huntsville, AL, for Space Camp. They are spending $6,760 per teen. This area is so dangerous that the US Embassy is indefinitely closed, and the staff works out of nearby Tunis, Tunisia.
Most of Libya is controlled by former long-time CIA analyst Khalifa Haftar, who lived in Langley, VA, for twenty years and gained US citizenship. He is backed and armed by Egypt and the UAE. Khalifa’s government is also supported by much of the Arab League, Chad, Russia, and France.
The GNA, which is recognized as the official government of Libya by the USA, is backed by Turkey, Qatar, and the Muslim Brotherhood. It is often described as a haven for radical Islamic militias and criminal syndicates. Italy is cooperating with both governments.
The Biden Administration is giving Amideast $135.2k in taxpayer dollars to bring twenty Libyan teenagers to Space Camp in Huntsville. That’s $6,760 per teen. Space Camp is $1,700 per person. Round-trip flights from Tunis to Huntsville are listed online at $900-$1,000.
These programs are often criticized as a way for the federal government to funnel taxpayer dollars to their friends.
According to their 2021 Tax Form:
Amideast is run by Theodore H. Kattouf, a former US Ambassador to both Syria and the UAE. Tax records show that he is paid a base salary of $358,436. Four other people in the group are paid over $200k each, and another six are paid over $150k each.
The group has over $12 million in net assets. They received $1.16 million in government grants.
