Pentagon expands role in Egypt war games as US weighs aid cuts
Some 1,500 US military personnel are taking part in this year’s Bright Star exercise in Egypt as the Biden administration faces renewed pressure from Congress to withhold a portion of Cairo’s military aid over rampant human rights abuses.
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has increased its contribution to regular war games with Egypt, even as the Biden administration faces increasing pressure from Democrats in Congress to curtail military funds to Cairo in response to widespread human rights abuses.
The US and Egypt kicked off the latest iteration of their Bright Star exercise series last week with Qatar and India joining for the first time as Washington increasingly looks to shore up defense ties across the Middle East.
This year’s iteration of the biennial exercise, which dates back to 1980 following the signing of the Camp David accords, includes participants and observers from some 34 countries, with 19 countries’ forces participating actively, according to the Egyptian army.
It also includes some 1,500 US military personnel, more than any other iteration held since prior to Egypt’s 2011 revolution and 2013 coup, in the latest sign of the Biden administration’s redoubled reliance on Cairo.
