Égypte: les États-Unis peuvent-ils influencer l'armée?

Depuis des jours on affirme que l'administration Obama a une marge de manoeuvre restreinte en Égypte. Vrai que les options sont peu nombreuses, mais cet article du NY Times fait ressortir la dépendance de l'armée égyptienne face aux sommes versées par les américains. Sans ces sommes, pourrait-on continuer à se procurer du matériel militaire sophistiqué? Oui, l'Arabie saoudite a affirmé dernièrement qu'elle compenserait la perte des appuis américains si Obama décidait de couper les vivres, mais les égyptiens ne pourraient plus se procurer le matériel américain que les militaires égyptiens favorisent.

 "In fact, Egypt is so enamored of Apache attack helicopters, M1A1 battle tanks and F-16 fighter jets that exasperated American military officials have been telling generals there for years that they need to expand beyond the hardware of bygone wars and spend more American money on border security, as well as counterterrorism and surveillance equipment and training that a truly modern military needs.

 Either way, a close look at the details of American military aid to Egypt shows why the relatively modest $1.3 billion may give the United States more leverage over the Egyptian military than it may seem, although still not as much as it wants.

 Even if Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf monarchies make up for any aid the United States may suspend, Washington would block Egypt from buying American weaponry with that money — a serious long-term problem for a military that is already viewed as sclerotic and has neglected pilot training so badly that the Egyptian air force has one of the worst crash rates of any F-16 fleet in the world."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/world/middleeast/cairo-military-firmly-hooked-to-us-lifeline.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130821&_r=0