Paper
Paul Salem
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Source: Getty
In The Media
Middle East: Brave New World For The U.S.?
As the popular uprising against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak continues and the pro-western government of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is replaced by a government supported by Hezbollah, the United States is losing key allies in the region.
By Paul Salem
Published on Feb 1, 2011
Source: Fox News
Lebanon recently swung away from the United States and towards Syria and Iran, when Hezbollah forced the pro-western government of Saad Hariri to fall. The new Prime Minister-designate, Najib Mikati, may be a billionaire businessman, but he is one who comes with the approval of Hezbollah – which is not good news for the foreign policy of the United States.
What should be even more troubling to the U.S. is the uncertainty about Egypt’s future. The U.S. is pushing for “orderly transition” which translates into: “Our long-time ally Hosni Mubarak should go, but peacefully, and without any radical replacement.”
As the transition takes place, how peaceful will it be, and how moderate will the new Middle East look? The U.S. is certainly going to lose some allies. “These regimes that are faltering happen to be all on the U.S. side at this point,” Carnegie’s Paul Salem noted. “This certainly puts the regional policy into question.”
Salem said that if the situation in Egypt would veer toward the Muslim Brotherhood – which it has not yet done– it would “certainly re-shuffle all of America’s calculations and plans in the region in a major way.” At this point, though, Salem noted, the Brotherhood is only one of the players in the uprising in Egypt, and has been careful not to overplay its hand.
About the Author
Paul Salem
Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute
Paul Salem is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.
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Carnegie India does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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