Released on 2013-02-20 00:00 GMT
RESEARCH REQUEST – EGYPT/ETHIOPIA/MIL – Source reference to militaryaction undertaken by Egyptians in 1976
This is insight from June 1:
Yes, we are discussing military cooperation with Sudan. we have astrategic pact with the Sudanese since in any crisis over the Nile, Sudangets hit first then us. We can’t afford that. The military cooperation weare discussing is for emergency planning, but I don’t think it will comethat yet. There will not be a war. If it comes to a crisis, we will senda jet to bomb the dam and come back in one day, simple as that. Or we cansend our special forces in to block/sabotage the dam. But we aren’t goingfor the military option now. This is just contingency planning. Lookback to an operation Egypt did in the mid-late 1970s, i think 1976, whenEthiopia was trying to build a large dam. We blew up the equipment whileit was traveling by sea to Ethiopia. A useful case study.
By tomorrow COB, I’d like to just see what exactly happened here. Anyjournal articles, books, anything at all about what exactly the source isreferring to. At first I thought he was talking about former EgyptianPresident Anwar Sadat’st 1978 threats to go to war over the issue ofdamming the Nile, but now I think he was actually talking about a concretemilitary action that was undertaken.
Let me know if you have any questions, though I think this is a prettystraight forward request. Thx
PUBLICATION: yesATTRIBUTION: Egyptian security sourceSOURCE DESCRIPTION: high-level Egyptian security/intel source, inregular direct contact with Mubarak and SuleimanSOURCE RELIABILITY: AITEM CREDIBILITY: 2SUGGESTED DISTRIBUTION: analystsSOURCE HANDLER: RevaLast week Mubarak met with four out of the 5 countries demanding morerights over the Nile (unclear if he met in person or talked to them overthe phone). kenya, rwanda, tanzania, uganda reached an agreement withEgypt and pledged cooperation that the water will only be used forelectricity generation (not diverted for irrigation), while Egyptpledged more developmental projects. We’ll keep talking and talking tothem to make sure all sides abide by the agreement.The only country that is not cooperating is Ethiopia. We are continuingto talk to them, using the diplomatic approach. Yes, we are discussingmilitary cooperation with Sudan. we have a strategic pact with theSudanese since in any crisis over the Nile, Sudan gets hit first thenus. We can’t afford that. The military cooperation we are discussing isfor emergency planning, but I don’t think it will come that yet. Therewill not be a war. If it comes to a crisis, we will send a jet to bombthe dam and come back in one day, simple as that. Or we can send ourspecial forces in to block/sabotage the dam. But we aren’t going forthe military option now. This is just contingency planning. Look backto an operation Egypt did in the mid-late 1970s, i think 1976, whenEthiopia was trying to build a large dam. We blew up the equipment whileit was traveling by sea to Ethiopia. A useful case study.Mubarak is looking pretty well. I was with him last week. He’s stillvery active. Things are getting a little dicey with the Shura electioncouncils. There were some shootings and the Sinai election gotcancelled. We’ll be keeping an eye on that.