Putin hands Egyptian president a rifle – and an alternative to US? (Source csmonitor.com) A Kalashnikov rifle was Vladimir Putin’s gift to Egyptian leader Abdul Fattah al-Sisi as he arrived in Cairo to start a two-day state visit Monday. That seems logical, since the two leaders are likely to ramp up Russian arms sales and military cooperation with Egypt, and will reportedly agree on a joint strategy to combat Islamist extremism. But the venerable Kalashnikov is also a potent symbol of Moscow’s backing for anti-Western allies over the past century. As Russia’s relations with the West spiral to post-cold war lows, Mr. Putin may be reminding Egypt, a US ally whose bonds with Washington have been fraying, that there are potential alternatives to American support.