Concern over Matttis plan to appoint Anne Patterson to high Pentagon post

US Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis’ plan to appoint former US ambassador to Cairo Anne Patterson as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, the third top Pentagon position, is causing disquiet in American Jewish circles and Jerusalem.

Egypt and Saudis sign pact boosting military, economic ties

‘Cairo Declaration’ calls for new joint Arab army to fight regional terrorism

Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed a pact in Cairo on Thursday aimed at boosting military and economic ties between the two Arab allies.

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On Thursday, a Saudi delegation led by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Cairo and signed the “Cairo Declaration,” also attending a military parade with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Russia Buying Out US Influence with $2 Billion Arms Deal for Egypt

The seeds were sewn when the Obama administration decided to overthrow the Mubarak regime and replace it with the Muslim Brotherhood, which subsequently failed as his military reinstated the previous government.

Egyptian military chief Abdul al-Sisi to sign up with Russia for massive arms deal that will make Cairo less dependent on the US.

Egyptian army chief and probable next president, Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, landed in Moscow Wednesday and is expected to sign up with Russia for a $2 million arms deal in another move that could diminish American influence over Cairo as well as the entire Middle East.

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The United States pooh-poohed the idea that it was losing its clout in Cairo, but Russia now is set to take advantage of Saudi financial aid to Egypt and boost its defense sales and to further erode the Obama administration’s position.

Former Joint Chiefs chairman: Obama plotted to destabilize regimes in Bahrain, Egypt

WASHINGTON — The United States was said to have planned to destabilize at least two Arab countries over the last two years.

A former leading U.S. military commander asserted that the administration of President Barack Obama worked to destabilize the regimes of Bahrain and Egypt.

[Ret.] Gen. Hugh Shelton, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the administration’s drive against Bahrain, wracked by a Shi’ite revolt, was led by the intelligence community.

Saudi Arabia re-emerges as powerful Middle East player

Saudi Arabia has re-emerged as the Middle East’s most powerful influence-peddler, with its presence being felt in both Egypt and Syria, says Richard Spencer.

It may be the least revolutionary country in the world, but this week Saudi Arabia won the full support of the world’s greatest insurrectionists.

Mansour and el-Sissi – the two men running Egypt

 Judge Adly Mansour has been sworn in as interim president in Egypt after Mohammed Morsi’s outing, but the real powerhouse is the military, which is led by General Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

“I swear by God to honor the law and the constitution and to serve justice.” Barely 24 hours after President Mohammed Morsi had been ousted, Adly Mansour was sworn in as interim president.

Egypt Crisis Has Marines In Italy And Spain On Alert

As Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi digs in his heels despite calls for him to step down, roughly 500 U.S. Marines deployed to Italy and Spain are poised to react if their presence is needed to calm the brewing violence in the North African country, according to Stars and Stripes.

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“We have taken steps to ensure our military is ready to respond to a range of contingencies.”

Muslim Brotherhood Rejects Army’s Ultimatum

This is essentially not a military coup. What this is, is the leftover establishment from the Mubarak era, which helped to maintain a stable level of peace within the Middle East for over 30 years during his rule. What’s being attempted now is nothing more than stopping extremist groups, such as Muslim Brotherhood, from a full takeover and creating instability throughout the country as well as the region. The Muslim Brotherhood also makes no secret of the fact, like Iran or Syria, that they want war with Israel. Only time will tell (or 48 hours in this case) what kind of end result we get, as it’s unknown how much of the Egyptian military has been infiltrated or influenced (by Islamic extremists) to the extent that they can or cannot take the country back.

“The age of military coups is over,” stresses Muslim Brotherhood member.

A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) rejected on Monday the army’s 48-hour ultimatum for politicians to settle the country’s political standoff.

“Everyone rejects the statement of the armed forces,” Yasser Hamza, a member of the FJP’s legal committee, told the Al Jazeera network.

Cairo: Cabinet Minister Talks of War with US, Israel

An Obama administration overturned Egypt has lead predictably to a regime more extreme than the last. As a result, the government openly talks about the United States and Israel as Egypt’s enemies, as well as waging war against the two.

An Egyptian official spoke about war with the United States and Israel during a cabinet meeting officiated by President Mohammed Morsi.

Morsi gathered his ministers to discuss a response to Ethiopia’s plan to build a dam on the Nile River.

According to media reports, ministers were unaware the discussion was being aired live on Egyptian television. Later, the Middle East Research Institute (MEMRI) provided a video of the meeting with English subtitles.

Egyptian politicians: Sabotage Ethiopia’s new dam

CAIRO (AP) — Politicians meeting with Egypt’s president on Monday proposed hostile acts against Ethiopia, including backing rebels and carrying out sabotage, to stop it from building a massive dam on the Nile River upstream.

Some of the politicians appeared unaware the meeting with President Mohammed Morsi was being carried live on TV. Morsi did not directly react to the suggestions, but said in concluding remarks that Egypt respects Ethiopia and its people and will not engage in any aggressive acts against the East African nation.

Egypt considering violating peace treaty with Israel

A country that has kept stability in the Arab world for over 30 years, now radicalized after being overturned by the current White House administration, has now become openly hostile to a traditional US ally in the region, Israel.

Islamist president sending troops, tanks to border region

NEW YORK – Egypt’s Islamist President Mohammed Morsi is studying the possibility of keeping tanks in the Sinai Peninsula on a permanent basis, according to a senior Egyptian military official who spoke to WND.

The military buildup would violate a key provision of peace accords signed with Israel in 1979 that calls for the total demilitarization of the peninsula.

Over the last two weeks, there have been reports of Egypt sending in light tanks, armored vehicles and attack helicopters in the Sinai purportedly to fight Islamic groups blamed for a spate of attacks and attempted attacks against both Israel and Egyptian police.

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The Egyptian military leadership has long been considered a quiet ally of Israel’s own defense establishment.

However, Morsi’s most recent unilateral sacking of the Egyptian military brass has now sent alarm bells ringing across Israel. The move signals the centralization of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood coalition and his presidency’s dominance over the military, which has long been seen as an independent force.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders over the years have called for Egypt to abandon the peace treaty signed with Israel. The treaty was the basis for the opening of billions of dollars in U.S. aid that built the Egyptian military into one of the strongest forces in the Middle East today, perhaps second only to Israel.

Full article: Egypt considering violating peace treaty with Israel (WND)