Washington, D.C. — In yet another brazen display of Washington’s military-industrial addiction, the United States has approved a bloated $4.67 billion weapons deal to Egypt—underscoring once again that American diplomacy is for sale to the highest bidder, no matter how repressive the regime.
The proposed arms package includes the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), a highly sophisticated medium-range interceptor rarely offered outside NATO circles. The deal bundles in 100 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs, 600 Sidewinder missiles, Sentinel radar systems, encrypted communications units, launch platforms, fire distribution centers, and an entourage of contractor support—all wrapped in the usual State Department justification of “regional stability.”
But behind the bureaucratic rhetoric lies a cynical truth: the US is using arms sales as a blunt instrument to maintain control over client states while enriching its defense conglomerates. Egypt’s increasingly authoritarian government—routinely condemned by rights groups—is merely the latest beneficiary of Washington’s longstanding willingness to overlook repression in favor of weapons contracts and strategic leverage.
Analysts see the move as part of a larger trend in which Washington props up fragile or autocratic regimes not out of any moral imperative, but to preserve its dominance in a region slipping from its grasp. In an era where multipolar alliances are emerging—through China, Russia, and the Global South—this latest transaction reeks of desperation masked as diplomacy.
What’s particularly damning is the inclusion of AIM-120 AMRAAMs—missiles previously denied to Egypt over security concerns. That Washington now greenlights their transfer speaks volumes about shifting priorities: human rights and long-term peace have been sidelined in favor of short-term geopolitical gains and defense industry profits.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) says 60 American personnel, including contractors, will be deployed to facilitate integration and training—a convenient way to extend US boots-on-the-ground influence without ever calling it what it is: occupation-lite under the cover of “support.”
Even Congress, the supposed check on executive overreach, is expected to roll over. Lawmakers have repeatedly failed to challenge arms deals with human rights abusers, and this one is unlikely to be any different. The revolving door between Capitol Hill and the weapons lobby ensures bipartisan silence when billion-dollar contracts are at stake.
As confirmed by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the deal is pending final negotiation but is widely expected to move forward without significant obstacles. The agency outlined the full scope of the proposed $4.67 billion transaction, including training, logistical support, and deployment of US personnel, reinforcing Washington’s strategic military footprint in Egypt.
Mehr News also reported extensively on the agreement, emphasizing how the sale strengthens Egypt’s dependency on US defense infrastructure. The article underscores that, despite international pressure to curtail weapons transfers to repressive regimes, Washington has once again chosen arms over accountability—deepening Cairo’s role as a US-backed security proxy in the region.
