Largely unnoticed, Egypt has been on a major weapons buying spree for nearly a decade. In the last seven years, Egypt has spent over $14 billion on weapons. Most of it is American, courtesy of the $1.3 billion a year the United States provides as military aid (part of the peace deal Egypt made with Israel over two decades ago.) Egypt has hundreds of U.S. M-1 tanks, plus American communications gear and missiles. American training experts have raised the skill levels of Egyptian troops. Without anyone really noticing it, the Egyptians have become one of the top three military powers in the region (along with Israel and Turkey.) Of all the Arab countries, the Egyptians are the ones with the most impressive military traditions. This goes back centuries. Remember, the Egyptians were one of the few armies to defeat the Mongols way back when.