Former Pentagon Official Calls Egypt Natural Leader of Arab World Amid Middle East Losses

James Russell’s appearance on Cairo News Channel.

Dr. James Russell, a former Pentagon official, stated that the United States has incurred significant losses in the Middle East over the past 25 years.

In an interview with journalist Mohamed Reda on “Cairo News Channel,” he emphasized that it is time for regional countries to unite and work towards establishing a Palestinian state, while being prepared for lengthy discussions with Israelis to achieve this goal, without relying entirely on the United States.

He noted that the current regional landscape reflects important political shifts, with Gulf countries engaging in diplomatic initiatives involving mediation by Oman and Qatar with Iran.

Russell pointed out that these developments indicate a change in the balance of power following a decline in U.S. influence, allowing new powers to emerge capable of managing the regional order.

He mentioned that countries like Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia can play a pivotal role in regional governance, stressing that these nations should not depend on the U.S. or Israel to achieve their political objectives.

Furthermore, he highlighted the need for President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Arab leaders to recognize that Israel does not seek genuine cooperation, necessitating the creation of new mechanisms to engage with it.

In conclusion, he asserted that Egypt is historically the natural leader of the Arab region and expressed hope that Cairo would leverage this opportunity to collaborate with its regional partners to advance a peace process that the United States has failed to achieve, aiming to build a sustainable peaceful framework needed in the region.