Tag Archives: Egypt

Panel: ISIS, Al Qaeda Franchising Efforts Changed the Face of Terrorism

Panel: ISIS, Al Qaeda Franchising Efforts Changed the Face of Terrorism

Members of the hardline al Shabaab Islamist rebel group hold their weapons in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, January 1, 2010. Somalia’s hardline Islamist rebel group al Shabaab said on Friday it was ready to send reinforcement to al Qaeda in Yemen should the U.S. carry out retaliatory strikes, and urged other Muslims to follow suit. Reuters Photo

Creating franchises among groups claiming affiliation with al Qaeda or the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is among the biggest change in international terrorism, two leading experts told the Atlantic Council on Thursday. Read More

U.S. Delivers First Egyptian Fast Missile Craft

U.S. Delivers First Egyptian Fast Missile Craft

An undated photo of the ENS S. Ezzat, an Egyptian Fast Missile Craft. VT Halter Marine Photo

An undated photo of the ENS S. Ezzat, an Egyptian Fast Missile Craft. VT Halter Marine Photo

Despite the ongoing leadership strife in Egypt, the U.S. has moved ahead with the delivery of four fast missile craft (FMC), Pentagon officials told USNI News on Wednesday. Read More

Video: Terrorists Launch Rocket Attack at Commercial Ship in Suez Canal

Video: Terrorists Launch Rocket Attack at Commercial Ship in Suez Canal

Image captured from a Sept. 4 video alleged to show members of the group Al-Furqan firing a rocket propelled grenade at a merchant ship in the Suez Canal

Image captured from a Sept. 4 video alleged to show memebers of the group Al-Furqan firing a rocket propelled grenade at a merchant ship in the Suez Canal

An Islamist terror group has taken responsibility for a Saturday rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attack on a merchant ship transiting the Suez Canal, USNI News has learned.

A video posted on YouTube Wednesday — alleged to have been issued by the group Al-Furqan along with a letter of responsibility — show two men with rocket propelled grenades fire at least one RPG round into the side of a cargo ship bearing the markings of the Chinese merchant shipper Cosco. Read More

Document: Egypt in Crisis— Issues for Congress

Document: Egypt in Crisis— Issues for Congress

From the Aug. 19, 2013 Congressional Research Service Report:
This report provides a brief overview of the key issues for Congress related to Egypt. U.S. policy makers are now grappling with complex questions about the future of U.S.-Egypt relations, particularly in light of the growing unrest and violence currently unfolding. These debates are shaping consideration of appropriations and authorization legislation and congressional oversight options in the 113th Congress. Read More

Report: Egyptian Military Aid Quietly Suspended

Report: Egyptian Military Aid Quietly Suspended

An Egyptian M1A1 Abrams tank in 2011. A suspension in military aid to Egypt could halt expansion of the inventory from 1,000 to 1,500.

An Egyptian M1A1 Abrams tank in 2011. A suspension in military aid to Egypt could halt expansion of the inventory from 1,000 to 1,500.

Almost half a billion dollars in 2013 military aid to Egypt has been quietly suspended pending the outcome of the current unrest in the country, staff with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee responsible for foreign aid, told The Daily Beast news service on Monday. Read More

Greenert and Amos Talk Future of Navy and Marine Corps

Greenert and Amos Talk Future of Navy and Marine Corps

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos speak at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as part of their national defense speakers series on July 11, 2013. US Navy Photo

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos speak at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as part of their national defense speakers series on July 11, 2013. US Navy Photo

The commandant of the Marine Corps and the chief of naval operations made the case for forward presence in an era of declining defense spending at a Washington to a national security forum think tank last week as events in Egypt threaten to spiral out of control.

Adm. Jonathan Greenert explained how the Navy and the Marine Corps can react quickly to situations citing the movement of USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) and USS San Antonio (LPD-17) into the Red Sea following the Egyptian military’s removal of President Mohamed Morsi from office as an immediate example of forward presence’s value and tailored forces. The ships were sent closer to the conflict, “because we don’t know what’s going to happen” in Egypt. “We can’t garrison and respond. It will be too late,” to handle a possible evacuation of Americans from the country, Greenert said. Read More