Where is Egypt in the Middle East?

2015-09-23T17:02:30-04:00

Egypt has been dealing with its own crises of sorts for quite some time, but seems to be emerging as a Western ally again. With the sale of two French helicopter carriers, the door has been opened. The question remains to be seen how stable Egypt is and how they will use the modernization and force multipliers in their Navy.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/23/europe/france-egypt-warship-sale/index.html

France selling formerly Russia-bound warships to Egypt - CNN.com

France has agreed to sell Egypt two Mistral-class helicopter carriers that were previously contracted to go to Russia, the Elysee Palace announced Wednesday.

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Sep 23 at 2015 5:11 PM

2015-09-23T17:11:22-04:00

West of Isreal I think! lol

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2015 10:45 PM

2015-09-23T22:45:23-04:00

The interesting thing that most of the news articles miss is the Saudi Arabia is going to pay for them. Egypt has the manpower Saudi Arabia lacks. Given that they are aligned in beliefs Saudi's get to wield the stick and Egypt is the stick.

They are looking to build a bridge from Egypt to Saudi Arabia...When the Saudi's foot the bill you can do just about anything.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Sep 23 at 2015 11:30 PM

2015-09-23T23:30:20-04:00

LCDR Nicholas Mulcahey, Not to be trite, but where does the Middle East stand in general? Does the US and the world have any concrete idea of what will go on there? We are fixated on hope, results of diplomacy and the jillions of $ we have contributed and subsidized in so many forms, all with great expectations expectations, but few guarantees.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2015 6:11 AM

2015-09-24T06:11:48-04:00

Sir, they are not really in the middle east, close, but it is rather in the north east African continent.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2015 8:26 AM

2015-09-24T08:26:45-04:00

This is going to be the beginnings of a Saudi-Egypt alliance as they try to deal with Muslim Brotherhood style extremists that currently trouble both countries. Yemen, at the moment, is a problem for both (especially the Saudis, but Egypt also invaded Yemen in the past). The two states are also flanked by other extremist movements in chaotic regions on their borders: Daesh in the north for Saudi Arabia, and Libya in the west for Egypt. The Horn of Africa is still not yet a settled situation-- these ships give Egypt some strategic regional reach that both them and the KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) need. It makes sense that they will pool their resources to stave off the barbarians at the gates.

Jordan is dealing with some spillover from Daesh and Syria as well, as is Lebanon. I wonder if these external, extremist pressures might force Egypt, KSA, Jordan and Lebanon to set aside old differences and make peace with Israel, forming a vast land fortress of civilization against the regional nutbag brigades. It would not be a warm and friendly peace --these groups will never sing Kum-by-ya and ride motorcycles together on weekends-- but at least set aside old differences and work together.

Bear in mind there was a 2002 Arab League peace offering to Israel, sponsored by the KSA, that if Israel could find a solution to the Palestinian situation that the Palestinians are content with, the Arab League would sign a full peace with Israel and recognize it. That offer is still on the table, and a common enemy might make it more attractive.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2015 8:50 AM

2015-09-24T08:50:22-04:00

I think that if the stable nations in the region are willing t put aside differences and work together, they can do more good there than European powers or the US (or Russia for that matter) ever could. They are not viewed as outsiders (as much) and they know the conflict better.

If only it were that simple.

Response by PO1 Andrew White made Sep 24 at 2015 3:50 PM

2015-09-24T15:50:05-04:00

Not sure overall but the first thought that popped into my head when I saw the article on the helo carriers the other day was "I hope Israel is planning on bolstering its Naval force..."

We just may see the return of Med Cruises.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 24 at 2015 10:01 PM

2015-09-24T22:01:09-04:00

I think Egypt is in pretty good shape. Their Center of Gravy is the will of their people, the same ones won a revolution.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Sep 25 at 2015 7:42 AM

2015-09-25T07:42:52-04:00

Egypt is still recovering from the "Arab spring". You know, the one where our current administration supported the side overthrowing the Egyptian government. The Egyptian military (trained mostly by us) had to step in and stop the radicals trying to hijack their country. Most of the muslim brotherhood has been run out, arrested, convicted etc. So they are on the mend but not 100%.

We sold Egypt down the river during the arab spring which also claimed Libya and gave rise to ISIS in Syria and Iraq and lead now to a massive refugee issue we are all watching on TV. We don't talk a lot about the support we gave to those events but that area of the world has been in far more turmoil ever since.