US commander visiting Israel

US commander visiting Israel

Admiral Mike Mullen's visit is meant to reassure key partners of the US military in the region.

Last Modified: 13 Feb 2011 11:28 GMT

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The top US military commander is visiting Israel and Jordan to reaffirm his country's support following the collapse of Hosni Mubarak's presidency in Egypt.
Joint Chief of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen will meet Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, on Sunday and Shimon Peres, the president.

He will also hold talks with Israeli military leaders before heading to the Jordanian capital Amman on Monday for meetings with King Abdullah II and his Jordanian counterpart, Lieutenant-General Meshaal Al-Zabn.

A Pentagon spokesman, Captain John Kirby, said: "He will discuss security issues of mutual concern and reassure both these key partners of the US military's commitment to that partnership."

The visit comes after Mubarak stepped down on Friday after 30 years, handing over control to the military after more than a million people took to the streets in the culmination of an 18-day uprising in Egypt.

Egypt is a major US ally in the Middle East and is the second-largest US aid recipient after Israel.

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