Source: Diane Rehm Show

After a five year hiatus, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has returned to Washington to further U.S.-Egyptian cooperation, though the signifiance of his return for both Egypt and the United States has been widely speculated. Michele Dunne appeared on The Diane Rehm Show to discuss the visit, implications for U.S.-Egyptian relations, Egyptian domestic polictics, and other issues.

According to Dunne, "this visit is seen as very significant from the Egyptian perspective. Especially in the government run press. There has been two main messages. One of them is that Mubarak is back in in in Washington after being 'on the outs' with Bush administration. I think that the Egyptians want everyone to know that Mubarak is back in the good graces of the White House. Then, there has been a message about the important role that Egypt can play regarding Washington's strategic goals and priorities". In many ways, suggested Dunne, "Egypt and the U.S. have a consonant agenda" particularly in regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran and Lebanon. The key question is how much can Egypt do.

I think that the Egyptians want everyone to know that Mubarak is back in the good graces of the White House.

In regards to the Arab-Israeli conflict, Mubarak has largely delivered the same message to President Obama as King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Dunne explained. After efforts to normalize relations in the 1990's went without significant steps toward peace, Arab states are increasingly reluctant to give concessions without full reciprocation.

As a major U.S. ally in the region, Egypt will also play a critical role in limiting Iranian influence in the region. Dunne suggested that, "Its important  for U.S. to show that we have allies against Iran in the region. The Egyptian concern about Iran is very real. Egypt has rebuffed past Iranian attempts to establish relations and signaled that it would be willing to work with Israel, on a limited scale, to rebuff Iranian attempts to bolster its position in the region." 

One of the most widely discussed issues concerning Egypt is who will succeed the ailing octogenarian Mubarak. It has been speculated that Mubarak's son, Gamal Mubarak, is being groomed to succeed his father. "[Gamal] has been trying to build his political career for ten years. He has tried to show that he will reach out to young people", suggested Dunne. Despite his efforts, "most people in the country are ambivalent. He is not very popular, except for a following in the business community. Egypt is a republic, not a monarchy, and there is a basic objection that many Egyptians have to Gamal being groomed to succeed his father."