Egypt ready to wage war on Israel ... for $US100 billion

AFP ^ | 4/25/02

[truthandlife]

Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid said his country would go to war with Israel if Arab countries stumped up $US100 billion ($A186.32 billion) to pay for the confrontation, in an interview published yesterday.

"If you want to undertake an action and be ready to face up to challenges, you need at least $100 billion," he told the Abu Dhabi Government's Al-Ittihad newspaper when asked why Egypt had taken no measures against Israel's military offensive against the Palestinians.

"I told you we want $100 billion," he repeated in response to a question why Cairo had not expelled Israel's ambassador to Egypt.

"Let the Arab world give $100 billion from Arab funds deposited around the world. Let it say to Egypt: 'This is a budget for confrontation. This budget is at your disposal. Undertake confrontation,' " he said.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak accused Israel yesterday of going "beyond all limits" with its military actions in the West Bank, particularly in Bethlehem and Jenin.

Egypt became the first Arab country to make peace with Israel and signed a treaty in 1979. Protesters in Egypt have frequently called for cutting diplomatic ties with Israel and expelling the Israeli ambassador.

[CanadianFella]

Land for Peace, yeah right.

[nothingnew]

What the hell is this guy talking about?

FMCDH!

[The Duke]

It sounds to me like the good prime minister's moral convictions are up for sale to the highest bidder.

[spqrzilla9]

Another way to read this is the Egyptian minister getting tired of other arabs expecting Egypt to do their fighting for them, and telling them off. I don't read it as a real enthusiasm for attacking Israel.

[tjg]

That's exactly the way I read it. He's saying "Put up, or shut up", knowing the Arab world won't put up.

[grania]

Another way to read this is the Egyptian minister getting tired of other arabs expecting Egypt to do their fighting for them, and telling them off. I don't read it as a real enthusiasm for attacking Israel.

Egypt receives a substantial amount of US aid each year. The statement sounds highly realistic...that money is going to have to come from somewhere, and how could a poor country like Egypt fight a war and lose aid at the same time?

[onedoug]

A price tag on the destruction of Egypt's armed forces.

Again.

And again....

[Tokhtamish]

Exactly. This is from someone fed up woth bloviating and Iraqi and Iranian saber rattling rhetoric.

Right now, Syria is in the hole $11 billion to Russia. That is why their tank park is rusting away. An Arab world in any way capable of confronting Israel would at least have ponied up the money to keep the Syrian Army combat ready.

[rightwing2]

This is just sad when the US spends $2.1 billion a year to upgrade and uparm the Egyptian armed forces with the latest in US weaponry including 755 M-1A1 tanks and hundreds of F-16 fighters only to have them claim that the only reason they are not now invading Israel is due to a lack of money. Otherwise, they would gladly serve as the hired Hessian mercenary army for the entire Arab world against Israel. Time to cut off all international welfare payments (foreign aid) to Egypt as well as Israel and stop high-tech weapons sales to Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

[jonatron]

Time to confiscate the Sinai. This just confirms that there never was any "land for peace" - the arabs are insatiable and their hatred cannot be extinguished.

[jonatron]

Maybe, but just imagine if the situation was the inverse...
Imagine Israel said to the UK and the USA, for $100,000,000,000.00 we'll wage war on Egypt, it would be all over the media.

[airedale]

Gee wonder what would happen if a nuke accidentaly went off by the Aswan High Dam? It would be a little muddy downstream wouldn't it.

[Aric2000]

Put up or shut up is indeed what I see here. Too bad that it would be a waste of money. Israel is the strongest country militarily in the world, including us. They have over 19 combat ready divisions, they can sustain 3000 air sorties a day compared to our 1300.

No, Any country that is dumb enough to take on Israel, even for 100 billion dollars is committing suicide!!

[droberts]

Sh*t, I'll wage war against Israel for $1 billion (and instantly surrender at first sign of enemy).

[spqrzilla9]

The 19 "combat ready" divisions of Israel is a gross exaggeration as was discussed when that report was posted here.

[nothingnew]

Thanks...I think yer right...It just had my head spinning for awhile.

FMCDH!

[glaseatr]

Ya know, I would pay that to see Egypt nuked off the faced of the earth. /sarcasm

[Aric2000]

Didn't see that post, but they do indeed have one of the strongest if not strongest militaries in the world, as well as thier nuclear weapons inventory.

Again, ANY country that would go against Israel militarily is committing suicide.

[Vigilanteman]

Don't forget that Egypt has had their arse handed to them three times in the last half century by going to war against the Israelis after being egged on by their fellow Arabs. Even the most devoted Jew-haters tend to learn from the hard school of experience after awhile.