Egypt and the U.S.: Where is it Going to Go?
Published in Al Ahram
(Egypt) on 11 February 2009
by Gamal Zaida (link to original)
(Egypt) on 11 February 2009
by Gamal Zaida (link to original)
Translated from
by Asmaa Sharaf El Deen.
Edited by Louis Standish.
With the events of Gaza as a window into the current situation, Egypt’s tabling of their own urgent priorities was understandable. When Israel imposes an agenda of violence, Palestinians are experiencing a new holocaust under the Israeli aggression where Hamas, backed by Iran and Syria, adopted the policy of chaos-making. Mere absurdity indeed!
On the other hand, there are some Arab parties of no virtual importance continuously committing faults and frivolities. The old pirates of the Arabian Sea fancy that they can do something and succeed through their satellite channels. Yet, this was nothing but an abject failure amid the hubbub the ME witnessed. Resultantly, Egyptian public opinion got entangled into this game, putting aside any general notion of the Egyptian-U.S. relations under the new administration.
Now, the dust is about to settle. Damascus is on a powder keg while the al-Jazeera TV station has nothing to broadcast for the time being. This all occurs while Egypt is about to reach a cease fire agreement between Hamas and Israel while balancing its protector attitudes and respecting its relationships with the powers dominating the international scene, the top being the U.S.
The new occupant of the White House ushers in change with his open policies, seeking to rebuild stout bridges between his country and the Islamic world. He has his eyes and ears on a financial crisis that threatens to be an international catastrophe, yet never overlooks the current impasses such as those of the ME at the top of the list. Indeed, we have to lend him a helping hand. Here in Cairo, the new American ambassador Margaret Scobey, the veteran diplomat who has learned the lesson from her predecessors: do not provoke Egyptian public opinion!
Indeed, we have an unparalleled chance to develop our political, diplomatic, military, security and economic cooperation with Washington to reach a new ground of mutual respect and common interests.
And away from the eight lean years of former president Bush, we have to wonder: What might Egypt’s future tendencies be towards Washington? How would Washington give Egypt’s head of state the honor he deserved, regionally and internationally? Actually, the Egyptian-U.S. relations need serious reflection.
On the other hand, there are some Arab parties of no virtual importance continuously committing faults and frivolities. The old pirates of the Arabian Sea fancy that they can do something and succeed through their satellite channels. Yet, this was nothing but an abject failure amid the hubbub the ME witnessed. Resultantly, Egyptian public opinion got entangled into this game, putting aside any general notion of the Egyptian-U.S. relations under the new administration.
Now, the dust is about to settle. Damascus is on a powder keg while the al-Jazeera TV station has nothing to broadcast for the time being. This all occurs while Egypt is about to reach a cease fire agreement between Hamas and Israel while balancing its protector attitudes and respecting its relationships with the powers dominating the international scene, the top being the U.S.
The new occupant of the White House ushers in change with his open policies, seeking to rebuild stout bridges between his country and the Islamic world. He has his eyes and ears on a financial crisis that threatens to be an international catastrophe, yet never overlooks the current impasses such as those of the ME at the top of the list. Indeed, we have to lend him a helping hand. Here in Cairo, the new American ambassador Margaret Scobey, the veteran diplomat who has learned the lesson from her predecessors: do not provoke Egyptian public opinion!
Indeed, we have an unparalleled chance to develop our political, diplomatic, military, security and economic cooperation with Washington to reach a new ground of mutual respect and common interests.
And away from the eight lean years of former president Bush, we have to wonder: What might Egypt’s future tendencies be towards Washington? How would Washington give Egypt’s head of state the honor he deserved, regionally and internationally? Actually, the Egyptian-U.S. relations need serious reflection.
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