Usually, the military spokespersons are very specific and careful about what they say. After all , they represent their armies as well their governments or regimes.
On Sunday , a video clip went viral in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It started in the Kingdom before reaching Egypt's social media realm causing anger and astonishment.
In an interview with Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya News General manager and prominent journalist Turki Aldakhil on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen official spokesperson Major General Ahmed Asiri spoke mainly about the coalition and its start in 2015 and its progress.
In a 45-second video clip, Asiri speaks about President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and how he offered to send between 30,000-40,000 soldiers as ground forces in Yemen.
Here is what was said translated into English:
Throughout September 2015, we had too many rumors about the participation of Egyptian ground troops which were denied by the Coalition spokesperson aka Ahmed Asiri himself.
And Yes, Egypt's official participation in the coalition involved naval and air forces units only.
On Monday, there was complete official silence on the Egyptian front.
Still, unofficially Al-Shorouk Daily Newspaper quoted anonymous Egyptian informed source who denied completely what the Saudi military official said. The source was amazed on why Asiri would make such mistake and say that in a TV show.
On Tuesday, Major General Asiri retracted what he said.
He claimed that he was not referring to Egypt's Participation in the ongoing Yemen war but rather to Sisi's failed Joint Arab force project that was suggested at the Arab summit in Sharm El-Sheikh in March 2015.
He said in statements to Al-Arabiya that Egypt offered 40,000 ground forces to join that joint Arab forces that never saw the light.
That's why I translated the whole clip. Asiri was specific in what he said about Egypt in the Yemen war.
Saudi officials like Asiri and media figures like Aldakhil do not speak of their minds easily or make mistakes like this easily.
I totally do not understand why he would say that and then he retracted.
This is more than interesting because it seems to the whole world that aside from Tiran and Sanafir saga and Muslim Brotherhood reconciliation with the state, the level of Egypt's military participation in the ongoing war in Yemen is among the main points of disagreement between the Egyptian and Saudi regime.
It is not a big secret but all media reports speak on how Saudi Arabia and UAE were unsatisfied with the level of Egypt's participation in the coalition and wanted Egyptian boots on the Yemeni ground but Sisi and his administration refuse it.
Sisi knows very well how the Egyptian public looks to Yemen war in the 1960s as our own Vietnam war.
By the way speaking about Tiran and Sanafir isles, Egypt' administrative court set the date of 6 June to rule on legal jurisdiction dispute about Tiran and Sanafir isles.
The lawsuit was filed by activist and lawyer Khaled Ali following the Urgent matters court's verdict against the Supreme administrative court's verdict that annulled the Egyptian Saudi maritime demarcation agreement.
According to Khaled Ali, the administrative court decided to set the date for its verdict from the first session in the lawsuit.
Needless to say that the regime is insisting that it is Saudi in the media.
Also on Tuesday, Iraq's leader of Shiite National alliance bloc in Iraqi parliament MP Ammar El-Hakim started an official visit to Cairo where he met President El-Sisi and FM Sameh Shoukry.
I do not know what is really going between Cairo and Riyadh but it seems that it is too complicated.
On Sunday , a video clip went viral in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It started in the Kingdom before reaching Egypt's social media realm causing anger and astonishment.
In an interview with Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya News General manager and prominent journalist Turki Aldakhil on Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen official spokesperson Major General Ahmed Asiri spoke mainly about the coalition and its start in 2015 and its progress.
In a 45-second video clip, Asiri speaks about President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and how he offered to send between 30,000-40,000 soldiers as ground forces in Yemen.
Asiri speaks about El-Sisi's alleged offer
Here is what was said translated into English:
Turki Adakhil : Egypt offered the coalition ....So according to Major General Ahmed Asiri, Egypt's president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi offered to send between 30,000 and 40,000 Egyptian soldiers in March 2015 to join Saudi Arabia and its coalition to liberate Yemen from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels through ground operation but the Kingdom or the coalition rejected the offer kindly because Yemen needed its children then ..etc.
Ahmed Asiri : Yes, it is well known that his excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi offered the Saudi government and the coalition that the Egyptian government government would send ground troops on ground but the "methodology" then "and I mentioned that several times before" did not demand having non-Yemeni forces in Yemen.; Why ?
Because Yemenis should first defend their land and their freedom
Turki Adakhil : and the Egyptian forces ?
Ahmed Asiri : Now the Egyptian forces are participating with Navy and air forces but at that time we were speaking about number 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers
Turki Adakhil : ground forces ?
Ahmed Asiri : Yes , ground forces in addition to Saudi forces on the borders as well the other forces that would join for a ground operation.
Throughout September 2015, we had too many rumors about the participation of Egyptian ground troops which were denied by the Coalition spokesperson aka Ahmed Asiri himself.
 |
| Major General Asiri "Reuters |
And Yes, Egypt's official participation in the coalition involved naval and air forces units only.
On Monday, there was complete official silence on the Egyptian front.
Still, unofficially Al-Shorouk Daily Newspaper quoted anonymous Egyptian informed source who denied completely what the Saudi military official said. The source was amazed on why Asiri would make such mistake and say that in a TV show.
On Tuesday, Major General Asiri retracted what he said.
He claimed that he was not referring to Egypt's Participation in the ongoing Yemen war but rather to Sisi's failed Joint Arab force project that was suggested at the Arab summit in Sharm El-Sheikh in March 2015.
He said in statements to Al-Arabiya that Egypt offered 40,000 ground forces to join that joint Arab forces that never saw the light.
That's why I translated the whole clip. Asiri was specific in what he said about Egypt in the Yemen war.
Saudi officials like Asiri and media figures like Aldakhil do not speak of their minds easily or make mistakes like this easily.
I totally do not understand why he would say that and then he retracted.
This is more than interesting because it seems to the whole world that aside from Tiran and Sanafir saga and Muslim Brotherhood reconciliation with the state, the level of Egypt's military participation in the ongoing war in Yemen is among the main points of disagreement between the Egyptian and Saudi regime.
It is not a big secret but all media reports speak on how Saudi Arabia and UAE were unsatisfied with the level of Egypt's participation in the coalition and wanted Egyptian boots on the Yemeni ground but Sisi and his administration refuse it.
Sisi knows very well how the Egyptian public looks to Yemen war in the 1960s as our own Vietnam war.
By the way speaking about Tiran and Sanafir isles, Egypt' administrative court set the date of 6 June to rule on legal jurisdiction dispute about Tiran and Sanafir isles.
The lawsuit was filed by activist and lawyer Khaled Ali following the Urgent matters court's verdict against the Supreme administrative court's verdict that annulled the Egyptian Saudi maritime demarcation agreement.
According to Khaled Ali, the administrative court decided to set the date for its verdict from the first session in the lawsuit.
Needless to say that the regime is insisting that it is Saudi in the media.
Also on Tuesday, Iraq's leader of Shiite National alliance bloc in Iraqi parliament MP Ammar El-Hakim started an official visit to Cairo where he met President El-Sisi and FM Sameh Shoukry.
I do not know what is really going between Cairo and Riyadh but it seems that it is too complicated.
Unfortunately Egypt is like a woman who sleeps with whoever pays her. Prior to 2011, Egypt used to stick to one affair at a time. But now, Egypt is dating as many as possible.
ReplyDeleteWRONG..WRONG..WRONG/EGYPT NEVER SLEPT OR SLEEPS OR WILL EVER SLEEP WITH NO WORLD POWER-S!!..Egypt with its 1952 revolution woken-up the whole Arab-world,as a matter of fact the whole ORIENT? as some were dosing for centuries,that's why those who see in IT a power/force/that's hard to tackle or bring under their wings,and try to CONTROL IT? Yes in ancient HISTORY QUEEN CLEOPATRA did try to seduce Roman JULIUS Caesar for HER love of Egypt,and to avoid ITS destruction,also fell in love with Roman-Army's MARK ANTONY..and the whole thing ended in tragic final>ee?! ..But all that happened ,once, and almost 3 Millenniums ago?...Since.., Egypt carried on leading the region for many many many centuries ,even though She endured lots of ups and downs but always came TOPS!!...Invaded/conquered over many times..but always She was renowned as AL CAHEERAH>(CAIRO)the VICTORIOUS capital city in history...No blemish or stains found on HER history pages..DIGNITY & PRIDE>>INTACT>as Always!!.GOD Almighty FORBID> if Egypt catches the cold...Even once,the whole region will never recover from the Flu(Metaphorically assuming that is!),So let us all around >IT<do all we could to keep the WARMTH OF UNITY that it PROVIDED us all with,& for millenniums past!,PLEASE let us not judge things.. on spontaneous basis,Egypt is going through difficult patches made by WORLD POLITICS, as the whole surroundings ARE, once a ever sy Now & Then things do get out of hand and WILL..UNFORTUNATELY,BUT recovery is in waiting TOO,patience is a virtue/ so, instead of cursing the darkness..let us lit a CANDLE?//Regards from:Is-Hak Barsoumian/London
ReplyDelete