As the crisis in Egypt unfolds, the Egyptian military emerges as the most important factor in determining its immediate future. Critical too are U.S. links with the Egyptian military—Washington's primary source of influence over what will happen.
Continuing support for the Egyptian military will be crucial for U.S. influence and for an evolution in Egypt that can meet American interests. Cutting off this aid or threatening to do so could be a body blow to U.S. policy....
The remainder of this op-ed can be found at cnn.com.
Robert E. Hunter is a senior adviser at the RAND Corp., a former U.S. ambassador to NATO and former director of Middle East Affairs at the National Security Council, 1979-1981. RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis.
This commentary originally appeared on CNN on February 9, 2011. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.