Press TV
June 26, 2013
In an indication of “a great power struggle over control of the Middle East,” the United States is deploying about 400 ground troops to Egypt, a military analyst told Press TV.
“The U.S. does not want to lose Syria and Egypt,” Michael Burns said on Tuesday.
The troops have been training for months at Fort Hood, Texas in anticipation of anti-government protests in Egypt and the possibility of having to protect the country’s border with Israel.
The U.S. soldiers will be joining troops from 12 other nations to guard posts and security checkpoints along the Sinai Peninsula to respond to any peace treaty violations between Egypt and Israel.
“We have an enormous influence by the Israeli lobby in this country,” that drives key policy decisions in Washington, Burns said.
Burns slammed what he called the “skullduggery” of U.S. foreign policy which is “engorging in a feast of war upon war.”
A spokesman of the Egyptian armed forces has confirmed the deployment of U.S. troops to Egypt, according to Ahram Online.
The opposition in Egypt continues to clash with supporters of President Mohamed Morsi and plans mass protests on June 30.
The Egyptian president has called for dialogue with the opposition in order to forge a roadmap and eliminate the existing disagreements in the country.