The Egyptian-US relations

Since Camp David the Egyptian-American relations consider peace with Israel and the American aid to Egypt as the main two objectives for this relation. However strategists in both countries describe this relation as strategic. A strategic relation between two partners should not depend upon the satisfaction or appreciation of another one or it became tripartite. Moreover, the one billion dollars American aid is not that sum that changes a relation to a strategic one.

Now both partners are not satisfied with the type of relation. Regardless of the conflict cause that was badly managed to the level of threatening the very existence of this relation, a question should be asked before investigating the corrective steps to treat this relation. What is the real status of the Egyptian-US relation? Is it strategic or ordinary cooperative one as any other relation between two capitals?

When they refer to Egypt, the American strategists usually label it, the most important ally in the Middle East. They consider peace with Israel. Military strategists have the experience of the Desert Storm Operation and they know that if Egypt did not side against Iraq it would be very difficult to liberate Kuwait with the least loses.

In fact Egypt did not achieve major strategic targets within the frame of the American-Egyptian relation. The military aid served arms sales from the American weapon factories and at the same time the Americans put Israel security as the ceiling for the advancement and technicality of the weapons supplies. Of course the Egyptian army benefited from the training programs in the US military institution and from the different military exercise with the American Armed Forces and other Western armies but the military aims are not the only objectives of a strategic alliance.  

Africa is an important circle for the Egyptian role and security. The Americans insisted that any bilateral cooperation in Africa to support an Egyptian role there should be a tripartite one with Israel. Even the US blocked the Egyptian initiatives to develop its role in Africa. The water security is the most annoying and alarming security problem for Egypt but the American did not show any positive support for Egyptian efforts to deal with Ethiopia and other upper Nile countries.

The Egyptian people got angry at Obama and his Ambassador Ann Paterson because since January 2011 they did their best to transform Egypt form a secular state to another strange fundamentalist one to be ruled by the Moslems Brotherhood. They supported this terrorist group with money and much more and they pressed for the biased presidential elections to make Morsi a president. When the 30 June revolution impeached him the American moves showed that the US is interested into spreading chaos not in the Egyptian people will to build a modern country. Neither the Afghani nor the Pakistani model will satisfy the Egyptian people that are mainly Mediterranean.  

Now the Egyptian-US strategic alliance is at crossroads and frank discussion is needed between these two partners not only about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Two-States resolution that is nearly dead but about the future of the Egyptian role. The discussion should address the Egyptian objectives for a long term strategy in the twenty first century and if One-State secular state is the best solution for both Israelis and Palestinians.  

Is the American ready for this strategic revision or Cairo may build closer relations with Russia and China to force the US thinker tanks to review strategies.