Late last Monday, at about 1 am Cairo Local time news hit the wire that Egypt suddenly joined a Saudi-led Islamic Sunni military coalition along other 33 Islamic countries against terrorism.
It was a sudden announcement for real at the Mid of the night for real, at least for the public in those 33 countries aside from Saudi Arabia.
Now since the Saudi Deputy Crown’s announcement, there are several questions in my mind.
Hours following his visit, the Saudi King declared that he gave his orders to increase the Saudi investments in Egypt to USD 8 billion and to provide it with oil and gas for five years.
I think within days our troops will head somewhere to fight somebody.
It was a sudden announcement for real at the Mid of the night for real, at least for the public in those 33 countries aside from Saudi Arabia.
Now since the Saudi Deputy Crown’s announcement, there are several questions in my mind.
- Does this military coalition have to do with John McCain and Lindsey Graham’s suggestion to have 100,000-strong ground forces from Sunni countries like Turkey and Egypt to fight Daesh in Syria and Iraq !?
- This is Islamic military coalition is a bit sectarian for me as it is “Sunni Islamic military coalition”. Aside from the Saudi-Iranian rivalry, this can enforce radicalism in Islamic countries but enforcing the notion that Shiites are not Muslims..etc. The Shiites are also from the victims of terrorism whether in Iraq or Saudi Arabia.
- What is the position of Syria and Iraq from that “Sunni Islamic military coalition”? Iran is an ally to both sectarian regimes in both countries. Daesh is mainly based in both countries.
- What is the position of Al-Qaeda from that military coalition !? Al-Qaeda is a terrorist organization in most countries, but recently it fought along the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen against both Houthis and Daesh !??
- What is this mechanism of such coalition in the first place !? Aside that it is Saudi-led and it is Sunni club based in Riyadh as it seems, how things are going to be !? Are we going to have ground forces or air forces strikes against terrorist organizations whatever they are and where ever they are !?
- I assume that some of the Islamic countries have got constitutions that say their presidents and kings should consulate their parliaments before joining such coalition like for instance in Egypt !? I read that the Prince Mohamed Bin Salman spoke about that point, but I still do not get.
- Why does Lebanon participate in that coalition when it is not fully Sunni country !? In fact, believe the majority of the Lebanese army is made up of Shiite !! I think participating in such coalition will complicate things in Lebanon. Will Saudi Arabia attack Hezbollah as a terrorist organization !?
- Palestine is participating in the Islamic Sunni military coalition when it is still not a full independent state. Of course, it can participate with intelligence.
- How will Egypt coordinate with Qatar and Turkey in that military coalition !?
- Will Egypt send troops abroad when North Sinai is still not under full control and Libya is technically a time bomb !??
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| Prince Mohamed Bin Salman and Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo "Egyptian presidency" |
I think within days our troops will head somewhere to fight somebody.