U.S. Allies Fret Over Shift on Aid to Egypt

From The Wall Street Journal:

The U.S. decision to dial back military aid to Egypt has roused fears among Washington's regional allies that the U.S. commitment to Middle East security is dropping on the list of America's global priorities.

Obama administration officials said on Wednesday that in an effort to press Egypt's military leaders to pursue a democratic transition they were postponing hundreds of millions of dollars in shipments of military equipment and directing $260 million in cash to aid programs in the country rather than the government.

Senior administration officials said they were suspending shipments of unassembled tanks, Apache attack helicopters and Harpoon missiles. Previously, the U.S. had said it would postpone the transfer of F-16 fighter planes to Egypt and cancel a joint military exercise.

The aid cut, following the U.S. decision against military action in Syria, left some of Washington's allies in the Middle East—including Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—frustrated with what they describe as America's unwillingness to assert itself in the volatile region, according to Arab and Israeli officials.

Yet the Egypt aid decision comes as Arab and Israeli officials say there is a growing fear that a Pentagon plan to strengthen American military assets in Asia is coming at the expense of their own regional security.