The thinking is that Egypt can be drawn into a confrontation with Iran

[dajoki]

Village Voice
http://villagevoice.com/news/0603,ridgeway,71804,6.html

Iran Crisis: Cheney Plays the Egypt Card
Vice president deals Mubarak in on nuclear standoff

by James Ridgeway
January 17th, 2006 5:06 PM

WASHINGTON, D.C.--With both Russia and China seeking to quiet the crisis over Iran’s nuclear program, Vice President Dick Cheney’s current visit to the Middle East, where he met with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak Tuesday, seems likely to make matters worse. Talk of UN Security Council sanctions against Iran, supported loudly by some in the U.S. Congress, is playing badly overseas.

And the sanctions aren’t failing just in the Middle East, either. "Sanctions are not the best or the only way to solve international problems," Sergei Lavrov, the Soviet foreign minister said in Moscow on Tuesday. "The question of sanctions against Iran puts the cart before the horse," news agencies quoted Lavrov as saying.

According to the Iraqi press, Cheney was expected to broach the possibility of Egypt’s sending troops to Iraq--as a last resort--along with other units from countries in the Arab League. Cheney is expected to raise the same idea in Saudi Arabia.

The thinking is that Egypt can be drawn into a confrontation with Iran because of its close proximity and because Egypt's leaders would be happy to come down hard against any Shiite radicals working out of Iran and bent on causing trouble in Egypt. This all comes from Juan Cole, the Mideast expert who teaches at the University of Michigan and keeps a Web page.

[leftchick]

1. I read that on Juan Cole's blog

in case anyone had any doubts, the neo-freaks really do want WWIII!

:nuke:

[The Magistrate]

5. WWIII Is Soimething Of An Exaggeration, Ma'am

That requires an opponent of equivalent military weight and reach, and there is none in the offing. A regional war of extreme complexity and great duration, however, is certainly in reach of this foolishness.

But it is not too likely Mubarak would consent to participate. He did so in the expedition of '91, but there was Arab League support, and a clear violation of sovereignty by Hussein as casus belli. Such items now are lacking. Mubarak is certainly a foe of fundamentalist radicals, but has no particular set against Shia or Iranian ones, and would court disasterous consequences to his own power in Egypt by such co-operation with "Crusaders and Zionists", as Brotherhood radicals would certainly portray it. It is possible he has a money price, of course, but that will be pitched higher than the thieves cabal ruling our country now wil be inclined to meet....

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

[dajoki]

6. i wouldn't be so sure n/t

[sui generis]

2. oh nice, world war III anyone?

Aren't we supposed to be stabilizing the region? Isn't that the latest bullshit for why we are in Iraq, that without us there killing collateral the whole dang place would practically fall apart?

[dajoki]

4. i forgot...

wasn't it WMD...no i mean iraqi freedom...wait regime change...oh, forget it.

[occuserpens]

3. Cheney and Mubarak

Thanks for the link...

2006-01-17 Cheney and Mubarak