After nearly four years of active work seeking to advance U.S. government support for democracy and human rights abroad, Assistant Secretary Michael H. Posner is leaving the Obama administration.

A year after President Obama called for a new beginning in U.S. relations with the Muslim world, it is still unclear how important human rights are for Washington’s policies in the Arab world. Is it possible for the U.S. to engage with governments in the region and consistently defend human rights?