• Research
  • Diwan
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Middle East logoCarnegie lettermark logo
PalestineSyria
{
  "authors": [
    "Robert Kagan",
    "Michele Dunne"
  ],
  "type": "commentary",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "MEP",
  "programs": [
    "Middle East"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Middle East",
    "North Africa",
    "Egypt"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Democracy"
  ]
}
REQUIRED IMAGE

REQUIRED IMAGE

Commentary

U.S. Policy Toward Egypt—A Primer on the Upcoming Elections

Egyptian parliamentary elections later this year and an imminent presidential succession will play an enormous role in determining whether one of the Arab world’s most important states and one of America's most crucial allies undergoes long overdue political, economic, and social reforms.

Link Copied
By Robert Kagan and Michele Dunne
Published on Sep 21, 2010

Egypt is nearing a critical turning point. Parliamentary elections later this year and an imminent presidential succession will play an enormous role in determining whether one of the Arab world’s most important states and one of America's most crucial allies undergoes long overdue political, economic, and social reforms.

The Working Group on Egypt, a nonpartisan group of experts from Washington’s leading think tanks and advocacy organizations, attended a closed-door staff briefing hosted by the office of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. Michele Dunne of the Carnegie Endowment and Robert Kagan of the Brookings Institution addressed the current state of play in Egypt, how the coming elections will impact the U.S.-Egyptian relationship, and outlined the policy options available to members of Congress.

About the Authors

Robert Kagan

Former Senior Associate

Kagan, author of the recent book, The Return of History and the End of Dreams (Knopf 2008), writes a monthly column on world affairs for the Washington Post and is a contributing editor at both the Weekly Standard and the New Republic.

Michele Dunne

Former Nonresident Scholar, Middle East Program

Michele Dunne was a nonresident scholar in Carnegie’s Middle East Program, where her research focuses on political and economic change in Arab countries, particularly Egypt, as well as U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Authors

Robert Kagan
Former Senior Associate
Robert Kagan
Michele Dunne
Former Nonresident Scholar, Middle East Program
Michele Dunne
Political ReformDemocracyMiddle EastNorth AfricaEgypt

Carnegie 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.

More Work from Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

  • Commentary
    Diwan
    When Football Is More Than Football

    The recent African Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco touched on issues that largely transcended the sport.

      Issam Kayssi, Yasmine Zarhloule

  • GCC foreign minister meeting in Kuwait City on June 2, 2025
    Article
    Can the Gulf Cooperation Council Transcend Its Divisions?

    Without structural reform, the organization, which is racked by internal rivalries, risks sliding into irrelevance.

      Hesham Alghannam

  • Commentary
    The Middle East’s Promising Gen Z

    Fifteen years after the Arab uprisings, a new generation is mobilizing behind an inclusive growth model, and has the technical savvy to lead an economic transformation that works for all.

      Jihad Azour

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Baku Proceeds With Caution as Ethnic Azeris Join Protests in Neighboring Iran

    Baku may allow radical nationalists to publicly discuss “reunification” with Azeri Iranians, but the president and key officials prefer not to comment publicly on the protests in Iran.

      Bashir Kitachaev

  • Commentary
    Diwan
    System Maintenance in Iraq

    In an interview, Shahla al-Kli discusses the country’s parliamentary elections and what they reveal.

      Rayyan Al-Shawaf

Get more news and analysis from
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
Carnegie Middle East logo, white
  • Research
  • Diwan
  • About
  • Experts
  • Projects
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
Get more news and analysis from
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.