Hosni We Knew Ye All Too Well

Hosni Mubarak, steadfast American ally, force for peace in the Middle East, and typical third world cutthroat, has finally, really, stepped down. It is a moment for happy tears and more than a couple of base of the spine shudders.

Mubarak was a reliable ally to the U.S. He led the only Arab neighbor of Israel that is officially at peace with her. The first fact speaks to U.S. interests in the region and that is important to anyone who cares about U.S. interests. The second fact speaks to anyone who thinks he or she cares about peace in the Middle East.

Mubarak was a tyrant, and that fact is equally relevant both to U.S. policy and to everyone who opposes tyranny. It has been our policy to promote democracy and liberty everywhere on the globe, except where it weren't. This was one of those moments when we had to decide which were which.

The Administration's response to the revolution in Egypt has been disappointing, but as Twain said of Wagner's music: it's not as bad as it sounds.

On the one hand, President Obama does seem to have a perverse distrust of any nation that is friendly to America and an equally perverse openness to anyone who wishes us ill. He has betrayed London and double crossed Central Europe, for example, all to make a deal with the Gangster in Chief Putin. He has come out much more forcefully behind the protesters in Egypt than he did earlier when similar protests occurred in Iran. That only reinforces my thesis that he is a repository of leftist instincts.

The Administration's foot has been stuck firmly in its mouth. It's understandable that Obama wanted to be pro-democracy (anti-Mubarak) and at the same time pro-stability (pro-Mubarak). But V.P. in charge of nonsense Joe Biden saying that Mubarak wasn't a dictator and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper saying that the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is "largely secular" leaves one to wonder whether the Administration is smarter than a fifth grader.

On the other hand, there is no reason to believe that the United States had any control over events in Cairo. Obama couldn't know at the outset whether the Mubarak and his regime would hold on or not. We still don't know, except for the part about Mubarak himself. Trying to have it both ways--pro-regime and pro-protestors—may well have been the most coherent policy possible.

If Egypt can make a transition to a genuine republic, that will be a great achievement. Even if the Egyptian Republic is as troublesome as Turkey, that will be the kind of trouble we should wish to have. If Egypt becomes another Iran, well, there are some things that are much worse than a secular dictator. One of them is a militant Islamic regime pursuing nuclear weapons. There come the shudders.

I wish I had some confidence in the President's ability to make prudent judgments. I have none. I wish I had some confidence in our leverage in Egypt. I do not. I wish I could believe in the pious rhetoric about progress and democracy that flows from the mouths of President's like beer from a keg. I can't.

I do believe that democracy is the only viable form of government for those who think a government should serve the governed. I think this plain fact may not be lost on the powers in Egypt. I am neither a pessimist nor an optimist. I am hopeful and shuddering.

Comments

[BillW]

As woeful as Obama''s economic thinking has been, there is nowhere that his complete lack of qualification to be President is more apparent than in foreign policy. It is beyond ironic and just plain hypocritical that the left bashes Sarah Palin for her lack of international kowledge and experience when Obama knows and has done even less. And it speaks volumes about the man that he appointed an equally unqualified Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of State. That call was 100% political to keep her supporters on the Democratic reservation, and to garner the support of her formerly influential husband. So with Mutt and Jeff leading the way, and a gaggle of liberal academic, 'blame America first, and her long standing allies next' theorists in the background whispering advice in their ears, and no one in the gang having ever ventured out of the United States enough to see the world as it really is, we get the dangerous, inconsistent, and wholly ineffective leadership you described.

[larry kurtz]

You two should get a room.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/watching-the-pyramids-from-inside-the-great-wall/71163/

You want foreign policy failure? Think Bush(s).

[Donald Pay]

I can't disagree too much with anything said here here. Obama gave a great speech in Cairo, but his Administration never openly pressed the Egyptian leadership too hard for improvements. In a way, I suspect the Obama was talking over the heads of the Arab leaders to the Arab street. I don't think Obama or anyone else saw change in the Arab world happening this quickly. I suspect they were mostly concerned with what would happen when Mubarak died, and how that might be the time to make changes. They weren't ready for a bottom up revolution.

[BillW]

Larry ... any specifics - or just knee jerk slam a Republican when anyone finds fault with one of your buddies?

[larry kurtz]

If ip had half the brains Bob Ellis has, one aspiration is counterweight. Since his pile is far larger than ip's his rant is copy and paste-able at will. So is Ken's.

So, yeah; knee-jerk slam pretty much slams it.

[Ken Blanchard]

Larry: who is ip?

[larry kurtz]

Ken, ip is a 7 foot tall Fourth World Lesbian with a licence to quill standing against white rule in an american West where Lake Agassiz, Lake Bonneville, and Lake Missoula still exist. She's a woman praying to Wakan Tanka that she will be upwind of the Yellowstone supervolcano as it cleanses the Great Plains of cattle, hogs, republican, mormmings, and christians and restore pre-Columbian Earth.

It's the same thing Bob Ellis wants with a few inconvenient differences.

[Mark Anderson]

Obama came out perfectly on Egypt. What exactly are you talking about with your criticisms. Realpolitic or neo-conservative? Where the hell are Republicans on this issue, all over the place. Perhaps we should look at that.

[Ken Blanchard]

Larry: wow. Is there a link for this "7 foot tall Fourth World Lesbian"?

Mark: the Obama Administration was "all over the place" on this issue. Did you miss the VP's remarks quoted above? I tried to be fair. This one would have vexed any administration.