Egypt Loses Status In Arab World

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The U.S. intelligence community expects Egypt to lose its position as leader of the Arab world.

Instead, the intelligence community expects Saudi Arabia to become the de facto leader of the Arab world after the death or resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

But the National Intelligence Council said the Saudi kingdom has sought to avoid such a role.

"All agreed that Egypt is not the regional leader it once was and that this mantle has fallen to Saudi Arabia," a report on a conference by the intelligence council said.