Iran’s Ahmadinejad entices Egypt into alliance

Associated Press ^ | Feb 7, 2013 4:54 PM EST | Hamza Hendawi

[Olog-hai]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tried Thursday to entice Egypt into a new alliance that could reshape the turbulent Middle East, speaking of forging “comprehensive” and “unfettered” relations after decades of distrust.

A warming of ties between the two regional heavyweights could have uncomfortable repercussions for the U.S. and its wealthy Gulf allies, giving Iran a foothold to spread its influence in Egypt. In turn, Egypt could gain an avenue to influence the fate of Syria, a key ally of Iran, as well as economic benefits. …

Ahmadinejad’s visit is the first by an Iranian president in 30 years and he used it to launch a charm offensive to woo Egyptians and their leadership. He offered to extend cash-strapped Egypt a credit line and investments. He said his government intended to lift visa requirements for Egyptian tourists and businessmen and he gave a lengthy interview to state television.

In a 90-minute news conference on Thursday, he went the farthest in trying to lure Egypt into a strategic alliance, using flowery language to project an image of two nations—which haven’t had diplomatic ties since 1979—on the brink of an alliance that would bring them glory and prosperity. …

[Diogenesis]

"Dead Ambassadors. Dead Seals. Missing Witnesses.
Libyan MANPADS to al Qaeda. F16s to Egypt and Iran.
Drones for Iran. Nuclear and NASA technology for Islamic terrorists.
What difference does it make?"

[River Hawk]

Great progress here. Iran was rather isolated in the Middle East, now thanks to Bush´s Iraq policies and Obama’s Egypt policies, it’s winning friends and allies.

[BenLurkin]

You're blaming the wrong President.

[j. earl carter]

I’m wondering if this doesn’t fall into the “keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer” category. The Shiites have just as much to fear from the caliphate as anyone else.

[existentially_kuffer]

Fundamental difference of the coming caliphate for sunni versus shite. These muslim sects difference can never be united.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Olog-hai.

[SJackson]

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[SJackson]

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[SJackson]

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If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[Eleutheria5]

“He offered to extend cash-strapped Egypt a credit line and investments. “

Awfully nice of him, considering how hard the sanctions are supposedly hitting Iran.

[Olog-hai]

The Shiites are the caliphate. Why else would they be trying to bring the twelfth imam’s appearance into reality? The Revolutionary Guard is an outgrowth of the Muslim Brotherhood, as counterintuitive as the liberal “Sunni-Shiite divide will destroy radical Islam for us and we won’t have to fight them at all” preachers try to make that sound.

[Wuli]

“The Shiites have just as much to fear from the caliphate as anyone else.”

The theocrat dictators in Iran (not “Shiites” in general) have no “fear” about a caliphate; their goals are to make it a Shia dominant one and not a Sunni dominate one. That is what most of the Middle East tensions are about - whose caliphate will it be - a Saudi-Wahabi led caliphate or a Iranian-Shia-Theocrat led caliphate. The west does not have any dog in that race.