How much have you spent on Egypt over the course of your lifetime?
And have you thought about what you're getting in return for that investment?
The U.S. government gives $1.48 billion per year in aid to Egypt, totaling $71.6 billion between 1948 and 2011, according to a recent Associated Press report.
Although the amount has changed over time, using today's numbers, that's around $4.70 per year for every U.S. citizen.
Some of the money goes toward economic support, including the promotion of democracy, health and rule of law.
All worthy causes.
But hold on. The majority of U.S. taxpayer funding to Egypt - about $1.23 billion per year at the current rate - is military aid.
Next month's shipment, for example, was scheduled to include 10 Apache helicopters, several M1A1 tank kits and used missiles that can be broken down into parts or refurbished to become viable weapons.
But senior U.S. officials, speaking anonymously to the AP, said Thursday it's likely the Obama administration will delay the helicopter shipment in an attempt to pressure the Egyptian military to stop its violent crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi.
Most of us can agree bloodshed isn't the ideal way to resolve political differences, even ones that will eventually decide the fate of a nation. In a perfect world, the U.S. would end all payments to Egypt's military until the dust has settled.
In reality, there's too much at stake.
The aid conveniently serves as a diplomatic bribe, one that gives the U.S. leverage and access to the Suez Canal and Egyptian airspace. It also goes toward efforts to fight terrorism.
But the payments have another purpose, one that is at the root of many of this country's foreign policy decisions.
The U.S. deposits the aid into an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. From there, the Egyptian government negotiates major arms purchases with U.S. defense suppliers. The money itself never leaves the country - it goes to companies that employ U.S. citizens and, in many cases, strive to deliver massive profits to their shareholders.
Knowing that information, it seems easy to predict what choice the Obama administration will make when it comes to deciding whether to reduce Egyptian military aid.
The U.S. has found itself between a rock and a hard place, but those who follow the money will discover the rock's not really that heavy, after all.
