Source: This American Life
During the last decade, the United States has maintained an inconsistent policy on pressuring the Mubarak regime in Egypt to implement democratic reforms and curb human rights abuses, explained Michele Dunne on This American Life. Although U.S. officials raised the issue of reform in meetings with Egyptian officials, successive U.S. governments often did not make a concerted effort to push for real reforms. Dunne explained that both the Bush and Obama administrations were very careful in their public criticism of the previous Egyptian government, given the important role Egypt played as a regional ally. Ultimately, Dunne said, this lack of consistency made the Egyptian people feel as though the U.S. government was not on their side.