Read the report — The changes of the last five years have shaken the U.S.-Egyptian relationship to its core. For decades, Egypt was a cornerstone of U.S. strategy, and the United States was a cornerstone of Egyptian strategy. However unsatisfying it became for both sides, finding alternatives was unthinkable. It was easier to paper over differences and leave the work of rethinking the relationship for another day. Yet with the changes in Egypt in the last five years, and with the United States thinking anew about its role in the Middle East, that day has come.
This report examines the interests that a close bilateral relationship serves and also highlights the consequences of a different kind of U.S.-Egyptian relationship. No policy is without costs or drawbacks, but U.S. policymakers need to understand both the likely results of maintaining close ties with Egypt and the likely results of alternatives.
