Responses to America’s call for democracy in the Middle East have been tepid at best. Arab governments feel provoked by President George W. Bush, particularly as he announced his initiative with little regional consultation. Seeking to pre-empt American action, Egypt backed a counter-proposal, the Alexandria Declaration, at an Arab League summit last May, and followed this with President Hosni Mubarak’s recent announcement that he will allow opposition candidates to challenge him for the presidency. Is this just another stalling tactic, or an opening to real reform?
Responses to America’s call for democracy in the Middle East have been tepid at best. Arab governments feel provoked by President George W. Bush, particularly as he announced his initiative with little regional consultation. Seeking to pre-empt American action, Egypt backed a counter-proposal, the Alexandria Declaration, at an Arab League summit last May, and followed this with President Hosni Mubarak’s recent announcement that he will allow opposition candidates to challenge him for the presidency. Is this just another stalling tactic, or an opening to real reform?