US 'Timid' over Egyptian Reform

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In The Media

US 'Timid' over Egyptian Reform

The United States has not persistently pressed the Egyptian government to enact democratic reforms and it is too late to call on Mubarak to implement reforms now.

By Michele Dunne

Published on Jan 31, 2011

Source: BBC's Today

The United States remains hesitant in its public efforts to pressure Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has intimated that the United States would prefer if Mubarak remained in office during any transition period. “Personally, I'm not sure this is a realistic scenario at this point,” notes Carnegie’s Michele Dunne, speaking on BBC’s Today. She argued that one way the United States could indicate that it was ready for Mubarak to leave office would be to suspend aid. However, she conceded that this is unlikely to happen.

The United States has not persistently pressed for democratic reforms or a redress of human rights grievances in Egypt, Dunne said, leading Mubarak to believe that the United States did not place a high priority on these issues. As a result, he never seriously attempted to implement reforms in Egypt. Now, “it is too late for reforms,” suggests Dunne. The Egyptian people want to see Mubarak abdicate power.

About the Author

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.

Recent Work

Research
Islamic Institutions in Arab States: Mapping the Dynamics of Control, Co-option, and Contention
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From Hardware to Holism: Rebalancing America’s Security Engagement With Arab States
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Political Reform North Africa Egypt

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.

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