Obama Unblocks Delivery of F-16s to Egypt

Washington (AFP) – US President Barack Obama has approved the delivery of a dozen F-16 aircraft to Egypt that had been frozen after a military-led takeover.  The White House said Obama told Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi by phone on Tuesday that a 2013 freeze would be lifted. The move comes as Egypt plays…

Why Saudis Fear Iranian Control Of Yemen?

By Tyler Rogoway, Foxtrot Alpha There is no doubt that the idea of Iran controlling Yemen via their Houthi Rebel proxies is a nightmare for Saudi Arabia. A large part of this nightmare is the possibility that Iran could deny access to the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf simultaneously, cutting off Saudi Arabia’s main avenues for…

A Ray of Light for Africa’s Dam of Discord

Egypt and Ethiopia make peace over a hugely controversial Nile dam. And Cairo’s about-face has everything to do with security. BY KEITH JOHNSON, Foreign Policy The mounting security concerns that have Egypt poised to send ground troops into Yemen also seem to have pushed Cairo into making nice with Ethiopia after years of tensions over the…

Stratfor Claims Egypt Forced to Negotiate on Nile Dam

Summary Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will travel to Addis Ababa on March 23 to address Ethiopian lawmakers before traveling to Sudan to sign an agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The details of the agreement are unknown, but its aim is to balance Ethiopia’s economic interests with Egypt’s national security concerns. Ethiopia, Egypt…