Q&A
- +1
Amr Hamzawy, Andrew Leber, Eric Lob, …
{
"authors": [
"Marwan Muasher"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center"
],
"collections": [
"Arab Awakening"
],
"englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "MEP",
"programs": [
"Middle East"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"North Africa",
"Egypt"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
The Danger of Half Steps
It is important for the United States to support a real and sustained transition to democracy without appearing to interfere in Egypt’s domestic affairs or being sidetracked by the current regime’s piecemeal reform efforts.
Published on Feb 7, 2011
Source: New York Times
No one — including the protesters — wants a leadership vacuum in the coming months, but the people in the streets want to know that the reforms necessary to tackle Egypt’s democratic deficit will be carried out if they go home. While the protesters are interested in an orderly transition, they are also concerned about the seriousness of the current regime in implementing the needed reforms, including whether they will move forward with a new election law, amending the constitution, and dissolving the parliament.
Judging by the Egyptian government’s concessions in the last few days, it looks like the regime is trying to do just enough to buy more time. Rather than taking the steps necessary to fundamentally alter the structure of the political system, the government is suggesting piecemeal reform with sporadic steps.
But the protesters won’t be satisfied without real change and the United States shouldn’t be either.
The unrest in Egypt caught the United States by surprise and the Obama administration has been forced to play catch up to get ahead of the curve. As the events unfolded, U.S. officials needed to not only distance themselves from Mubarak, but also express support for a real and immediate move toward democracy.
It is difficult for the Obama administration to identify a precise time for Mubarak’s exit without appearing to be interfering in Egypt’s domestic affairs. Washington, however, has made its views clear — both privately and publicly — that it expects Mubarak to go, but the timing is up to the Egyptians. This is how it should be.
Whether Mubarak is ousted today or in a few months, Washington needs to support a real and sustained transition to democracy that begins now. The important thing for the United States is to support a serious political reform process that moves Egypt down the road to democracy without being sidetracked by half steps.
About the Author
Marwan Muasher
Vice President for Studies
Marwan Muasher is vice president for studies at Carnegie, where he oversees research in Washington and Beirut on the Middle East. Muasher served as foreign minister (2002–2004) and deputy prime minister (2004–2005) of Jordan, and his career has spanned the areas of diplomacy, development, civil society, and communications.
- The Myriad Problems With the Iran Ceasefire
- The Iran War Is Uncovering the Weakness in U.S.-Gulf TiesCommentary
Marwan Muasher
Recent Work
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 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Loyal but Powerless: The Downgrading of Russia’s ElitePaper
The ruling elites in contemporary Russia are not a political class, but a community of managers who are not subject to competition or public accountability. The state is becoming an operating apparatus without any internal autonomy.
Alexandra Prokopenko
- What Does Pashinyan’s Parliamentary Victory Mean for Armenia’s Future?Commentary
Pashinyan’s pro-European party has been re-elected with a decisive victory. But the pro-Russian opposition could still slow Armenia’s progress toward peace with Azerbaijan and rapprochement with Europe.
Mikayel Zolyan
- From Sovereigns to Servants. How the War Against Ukraine Reshaped Russia’s EliteBook
How did Putin co-opt Russia’s political and economic elites, ensuring no more than fitful resistance to the regime’s war on Ukraine?
Alexandra Prokopenko
- Will Russia–Armenia Relations Improve Following Pashinyan’s Re-Election?Commentary
For all the menacing rhetoric, the Armenian prime minister remains a leader with whom Putin is prepared to interact: not as an ally, but as a partner, albeit a problematic one.
Alexander Atasuntsev
- The Climate Blind Spot in Europe’s New Migration PactCommentary
The EU’s new migration policy is not suited to today’s realities. With climate change increasingly becoming a driver of displacement, Europe needs to rethink its deterrence-focused approach.
Shana Tabak
