The US Congress has taken steps to reduce security assistance to states which have committed mass human rights abuse [1] . In October 2013, President Obama announced cutbacks in military aid to Egypt after a military coup and crackdown on protestors [2] . In addition to these penalties, there are also good governance programmes run by USAID in unison with counter-terrorism policies to ensure a healthier transition to democracy, reducing the risk of repression [3] .  [1] Ploch,L., ‘Countering Terrorism in East Africa: The U.S. Response’ pg.38  [2] Gordon,M.R., ‘In Crackdown Response, U.S. Temporarily Freezes Some Military Aid to Egypt’  [3] Ploch,L., ‘Countering Terrorism in East Africa: The U.S. Response’ pg.55