Source: New York Times
The Danger of Half StepsWith protests entering their third week in the Egyptian streets, the government is offering new concessions in the hope of easing the unprecedented crisis. Many protesters seem unwilling, however, to give up their demand for President Mubarak’s immediate departure.
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.