Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has been concerned that it could lose
naval access to Egypt’s Suez Canal, a report said.

The Congressional Research Service asserted that the administration
of President Barack Obama has been challenged by the massive opposition
campaign against Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. In a report, CRS said
the unrest could undermine U.S. interests in Egypt.

“The United States is facing a series of challenges stemming from more than two years of dramatic change in Egypt,” the report, titled “Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations,” said.

“Interests include maintaining U.S. naval access to the Suez Canal, maintaining the 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty, and promoting democracy and economic growth within Egypt, the region’s largest Arab country.”

In a report dated June 27, analyst Jeremy Sharp said Egypt’s first Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi, could reduce military and counter-insurgency cooperation with the United States. He also said the ruling Muslim Brotherhood could also become “confrontational toward Israel.”

The administration has overcome legislation by Congress to continue
annual U.S. military aid of $1.3 billion to Egypt. Obama also approved the
delivery of 20 F-16 multi-role fighters to the Egyptian Air Force.

“Current debate surrounding U.S. policy toward Egypt centers on the
degree to which the United States should support a government led by a
former leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood,” the report said. “Although
most stakeholders in this debate would seek to avoid Egypt’s state failure
and the negative repercussions it would almost certainly entail for U.S. and
global security, there is less consensus over the degree to which the United
States should help an Egyptian government that may or may not pursue
policies in line with American values and regional security interests.”

CRS also cited a disagreement between Congress and the administration
over how much leverage Washington should use to restrain Morsi. So far, the
administration has argued that a suspension of U.S. aid would lead to
Egypt’s economic collapse.

The report said Egypt has ensured U.S. Navy passage through the Suez
Canal. Sharp said the Navy uses what he termed “expedited passage” to send
aircraft carrier groups to the Gulf.

“Without passage through the canal, the Navy would have to deploy ships
around the Cape of Good Hope — adding significant time to deployment from
Norfolk, Va. to the Persian Gulf or Indian Ocean,” the report said.

Still, the administration has met little success in persuading Egypt to
direct U.S. military aid from conventional military procurement to
counter-insurgency. But the Defense Department said the Al Qaida-aligned
insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula renewed hopes in Congress. On July 2, the
Pentagon awarded a contract to improve security along the Sinai border with
the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

“Although the Defense Department has for years tried to gradually
convince the Egyptian military to focus its procurement more on
counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency equipment and
training than on conventional military items, the deterioration of law and
order in Egypt has re-energized this issue,” the report said. “Some lawmakers
may seek to direct future FMF spending toward reforming Egypt’s internal
police forces and countering the terrorist threat in the Sinai Peninsula.”

  1979 Camp David treaty, Cape of Good Hope, Congressional Research Service, Mohammed Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood, Upheaval in Egypt threatens U.S. access to Suez Canal