US military chief reassures Israel after Egypt revolt

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JERUSALEM — The top US military commander reassured Israeli leaders on Monday that military ties between the allies remain as strong as ever in the face of the changes sweeping the Middle East.

US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen was dispatched to Israel and Jordan to reassure them the fall of veteran Western ally Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak after 18 days of mass protests would not affect the US alliance system in the region.

"The connection and the relationship with the Israeli Defence Forces goes back decades," Mullen said ahead of a meeting with President Shimon Peres.

"The strength of this relationship is something that we both depend on, and it's particularly relevant in these very difficult times," Mullen said, alluding to the events in Egypt and Tunisia.

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