EGYPT'S PRESIDENT – AT 8:21 A.M. ET:  Egypt is the most important country in the Arab world.  Its new leader, who has had the guts to take on radical Islam, want to be an ally of the United States, but is getting the cold shoulder from Obama, who kind of likes those Islamist types.  Witness his cozying up to Iran and his high comfort level with the anti-American, anti-Semitic Muslim Brotherhood.  Now Egypt's president is speaking out, this time to Fox: 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in an exclusive interview with Fox News, appealed to the U.S. to play a greater role in helping his country fight terrorism -- as he urged the creation of an "Arab ready force" to confront the Islamic State and similar groups.

The Egyptian leader spoke with Fox News' Bret Baier in an extensive interview conducted in Cairo. He addressed the need for what he called a religious "revolution," urging moderate Muslims around the world to "stand up" against terrorists twisting their religion.

But in the short term, he said more military might and funding will be needed to confront the extremist threat and questioned whether the U.S. was doing enough for Egypt.

El-Sisi, speaking mostly through a translator, said that while the U.S. has helped Egypt for decades, Egypt needs that help "more than ever," and wants to see a "big response from capable countries."

He said the suspension of U.S. equipment and arms to his country has sent a "negative indication to the public opinion that the United States is not standing by the Egyptians."

El-Sisi -- who eventually took power after former President Mohammed Morsi was overthrown in 2013 -- was referring to aid and shipments that have been held up in the wake of Morsi's ouster.

Though the U.S. continues to deliver nearly $1.5 billion a year in mostly military assistance, some high-profile shipments have been halted since the military leadership overthrew Morsi -- and particularly since the military's crackdown on Islamist groups. This includes holding back on deliveries of F-16 fighter jets, M1A1 tanks and Harpoon missiles.

In fact el-Sisi was subsequently elected, following the overthrow of the unpopular Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.  And it's curious that Egypt is being punished for its crackdown on Islamist groups, since these are the very groups that sponsor terror against the United States.  That is the country that Barack Obama heads, isn't it?  Maybe I'm wrong.

In December, the Pentagon delivered a previously stalled shipment of 10 Apache helicopters to Egypt.

El-Sisi told Fox News the need for weapons and equipment remains "dire," and Egyptians "would like to feel that the United States is standing by them."

Kind of the same thing we hear from other American allies, isn't it?

Asked directly how he and other Arab allies view U.S. leadership in the region, he answered briefly in English: "Difficult questions."

He addressed his country's campaign against terrorism weeks after the Islamic State released a video showing 21 Egyptian Christians being beheaded. That video triggered Egyptian airstrikes on ISIS targets in Libya -- airstrikes that, according to the Pentagon, the Egyptians did not notify the U.S. of in advance.

At the time, even the top Pentagon spokesman acknowledged the U.S. and Egypt have a "complex relationship."

COMMENT:  And it's interesting that the same administration that turns its nose up at Egypt tried to organize a boycott of the recent speech before Congress given by Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, our strongest ally in the region.  What a remarkable president.  He treats our enemies better than he treats our friends. 

March 10,  2015