Block 6
With the release of the classified documents earlier this month from a U.S Air Natl.Guardsman, it was revealed that the U.S intelligence agencies had information that Egypt, a 2 decade long standing U.S ally, was secretly planning to supply weapons to Russia. This article discusses how through diplomatic means, the U.S and Egypt were able to come to an agreement, making it so Egypt would start supplying Ukraine with weapons instead. How long the U.S knew this information is not in the leak, but for Egypt to attempt to secretly supply a U.S enemy with weapons was a somewhat surprising event, but the speed in which the complication was fixed makes me believe it wasn’t a commitment as the deal was flopped a full 180 within a few days.
Analyzing the importance of this article, the attempt to secretly supply the Russians with weapons at this current time is the main talking point. With the U.S pouring hundreds of billions into funding the Ukrainians with weapons, and putting U.S assets into the overseas war, with internal problems with the debt ceiling, it is obvious supplying Russians with weapons and being allied with the U.S would not be a pleasant idea. The risk created by sneaking behind your allies back, and planning on supplying their enemies with weapons is fairly significant when it comes into account Egypt wants to be allied with the U.S, and vise versa.The fast adjustment made by the Egyptians and the U.S governments proved continued allyship would be continued and strong, which keeps tensions between the U.S and Egypt minimal with respect to the Russo-Ukrainian War. With 40,000 rockets being planned to be sent to Russia, tensions between the U.S and Egypt are going to be a bit higher for the coming weeks. I say weeks, as Russia can easily get supplied from other more committed sources such as China or Iran, who aren’t tied back from doing so by having an alliance with the U.S.
Taking the main points from this article and defining them with topics learned in class, it can be said there was a sort of collective goods problem created from the leak, which had Egypt decide to supply Ukraine with weapons. With the U.S and Egypt in a mutually benefiting relationship(and Russia a U.S enemy), to send rockets to help Russia would be to put in negative effort into the U.S-Egypt alliance from Egypts side, as if it would have gone through, it would have cost the U.S more money, and undermined U.S efforts to help the Ukrainians do as much damage as possible to the Russians and in the best case scenario, fend off the Russians into a crippling defeat.