A map of the Sahel region showing where Al Qaeda operates (AFP/Graphic)
Posted on 06/08/2013 2:48:38 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
CAIRO — A battle over water has turned into a war of colorful rhetoric between Ethiopia and Egypt over the flow of the Nile, which begins in the African highlands but keeps Egypt from being swallowed entirely by desert.
An ambitious Ethiopian dam project is diverting Nile waters that Cairo says will reduce the river's northward flow. The Egyptians have stumbled into crisis mode: At a meeting hosted by President Mohamed Morsi this week, several politicians, unaware TV cameras were rolling, suggested sabotaging or threatening to bomb the dam.
Egypt can coordinate with Ethiopian rebels and "use them as a bargaining chip with the Ethiopian government," mused Younis Makhyoun, leader of an ultraconservative Islamist party. "If all this fails, then there is no choice left for Egypt but to play the final card, which is using the intelligence service to destroy the dam."
Ethiopia on Thursday summoned the Egyptian ambassador to explain such "hostile remarks."
An embarrassed Morsi has reassured Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn that he preferred diplomacy to fighter jets and intrigue. But the matter — Egypt has indicated that it would demand the dam not be built — illustrates Cairo's reliance on the Nile and how swiftly passions can be riled in a nation that receives 95% of its water from the river. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Water will be the next big middle east source of tension. The countries at the head of the Nile and along its length desperately need the water to survive and prosper. Since it starts in their country, they reason, why not keep it here? It’s possible that the Nile will be like the Rio Grande which is essentially used up before it gets to Mexico. Mexico can’t do anything about it as we’re the big water bully on the block. Egypt has fighters and tanks and every incentive to beat the H*ll out of the upper countries. If the upper countries could keep the water then they could flower into real economic powerhouses.
By the way, this situation exists for every cross-boarder river in the middle east.
A prophecy against Egypt:
See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud
and is coming to Egypt.
The idols of Egypt tremble before him,
and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear.
2 “I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian—
brother will fight against brother,
neighbor against neighbor,
city against city,
kingdom against kingdom.
3 The Egyptians will lose heart,
and I will bring their plans to nothing;
they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead,
the mediums and the spiritists.
4 I will hand the Egyptians over
to the power of a cruel master,
and a fierce king will rule over them,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
5 The waters of the river will dry up,
and the riverbed will be parched and dry.
6 The canals will stink;
the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up.
The reeds and rushes will wither,
7 also the plants along the Nile,
at the mouth of the river.
Every sown field along the Nile
will become parched, will blow away and be no more.
8 The fishermen will groan and lament,
all who cast hooks into the Nile;
those who throw nets on the water
will pine away.
Egypt will destroy an Ethiopian DAM with US taxpayer
money. More Islam against the free - paid for by YOU.
Egypt hasn’t got time to fool with this problem, it is too busy killing Christians and losing tourist dollars. Too busy converting to the Muslim Brotherhood.
The lack of clean fresh water will soon affect the Chinese also.
China wants Tibet for access to the fresh water from the Himalyan glaciers. As they divert more and more of it to China, rivers in adjacent countries will begin to dry up and they'll either die of thirst or go to war.
Going full “Dam Buster” might not work out for the Gyppos.
Bloviating, Islamic, and downstream of the Aswan High Dam during an outbreak of “Dam Busting” is no way to go through life.
Bet the Bob Geldof types will now ditch Ethiopia for their more PC Muslim Brotherhood friends....Probably put out “Do They Know Its Ramadan” to help the Islamic Hate Groups
Here’s the “crisis” that that filthy 9th Century knuckledragging pig fornicator needs to consolidate his power.
This is nothing new.
Egypt is usually most worried about Sudan blocking the Nile.
They have for decades and decades been fretting about Sudan AND Ethiopia messing with the Nile, the “life blood” of Egypt.
They are paranoid about it.
And the F-16’s, all based in the north, don’t have the legs to do anything if Ethiopia did try anything.
But Egypt’s fighters don’t have the range to do anything. They would flame-out en-route to the tgt area.
Additionally, Egypt doesn’t have the infrastructure to move troops and heavy armor to the south to engage the upper-Nile region in other countries.
They have C-130’s sure, but their aircrew are not able to fly the number of sorties necessary to make a difference.
Not an issues the Egyptians can do anything about IF ( a BIG if) any of the upper Nile countries tried anything. And if the upper Nile countries did try to do something, that would takes years of preparation. No way it would be a bolt out of the blue.
“Not an issues the Egyptians can do anything about IF ( a BIG if) any of the upper Nile countries tried anything. And if the upper Nile countries did try to do something, that would takes years of preparation.”
I believe the problem is the upper Nile countries are using more and more of the headwaters for irrigation. Apparently, it’s already enough to impact the flow in the delta. Add the mixed blessing of the Aswan dam and Egypt is already felling the pain. If Egypt does something, it will be supporting the Muslim Brotherhood’s fighters in the region. I agree that any military actions are unlikely. Mostly Egypt will use the UN, clandestine support of local groups, and money to influence (intimidate) the region.
Morsi’s friend John Kerry could arrange the loan of a tanker for a day or two.
An ambitious Ethiopian dam project is diverting Nile waters that Cairo says will reduce the river's northward flow. The Egyptians have stumbled into crisis mode: At a meeting hosted by President Mohamed Morsi this week, several politicians, unaware TV cameras were rolling, suggested ...[Egypt] coordinate with Ethiopian rebels and "use them as a bargaining chip with the Ethiopian government," mused Younis Makhyoun, leader of an ultraconservative Islamist party. "If all this fails, then there is no choice left for Egypt but to play the final card, which is using the intelligence service to destroy the dam." Ethiopia on Thursday summoned the Egyptian ambassador to explain such "hostile remarks." An embarrassed Morsi has reassured Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn that he preferred diplomacy to fighter jets and intrigue.Morsi, like his coreligionist Obama, states or assents to various outrages, then denies it afterward.
A map of the Sahel region showing where Al Qaeda operates (AFP/Graphic)
Might work. . . IF the Egyptian pilots could do A/A refueling. . .they can’t.
Exactly.
However, while they can fly to Tel Aviv, I hardly think they are coming back.
;-)
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