CIAO DATE: 08/2014
April 2013
Former US Army Chief George Casey and Congressman Jim Kolbe argue that the transitions in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia will be reversible unless and until their security agencies are better equipped to carry out their functions without abusing citizen rights or interfering in politics. A New Deal: Reforming US Defense Cooperation with Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia urges the United States to reform its existing defense cooperation arrangements with North Africa’s transitioning democracies to better prepare the region’s militaries for modern threats and best promote civilian control of the armed forces.
The report assesses the role of the armed forces in each country, the security challenges they face in the aftermath of the transitions, the nature of their defense relationship with the United States, and opportunities for reform. The authors urge the United States to remain engaged with Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia through robust defense cooperation, but argue that Washington must reform its existing defense cooperation programs to reflect new political realities.
Resource link: A New Deal: Reforming US Defense Cooperation with Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia [PDF] - 770K