Arm-twisting tactics

By Salama A Salama

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The decision of the United States that demarcates the end of 2007 was the suspension of $100 million in US aid to Egypt. The decision linked US largesse to the strengthening of human rights and the speeding up of the reform of the judiciary system. Washington also insisted that the tunnels across the Egyptian-Israeli border be demolished. It also stipulated that the Egyptian government cease supervision of projects financed by US aid.

This decision underlines the fact that Egyptian-American relations have become dominated by Israeli interests. Moreover, the decision reveals the magnitude of the failure and confusion that have afflicted American policies in the Middle East. Even the visits paid by senior American officials beginning with Condoleezza Rice to President George W Bush have never guaranteed a sound estimation of the true nature of the current state of affairs and reactions to American policies which aggravated tensions and further worsened regional conflicts in an unprecedented manner.

The repeated American failures in all hot spots in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa, South-West Asia, and even in Latin America, have evidently intensified the Bush administration's reactions and prompted it to intensify pressure and adopt arm-twisting tactics.

The American administration resorted to such policies after the prevailing of a general impression that the conservative right policies have enfeebled America, made it lose its influence and aroused the world's hatred towards it. It has become crystal clear that some countries opposing the American hegemony are no longer heedful of the American administration's threats.

This was evident in the Venezuelan case where Hugo Chavez vehemently resisted American attempts to control his country and destabilise his regime. Also, Iran has proved successful in neutralising mounting pressures and sanctions imposed by America and Europe because of its nuclear programme. And even the freezing of the North Korean nuclear programme would not have taken place if it were not for a drastic shift in the American policy that entailed giving up its threatening posturing and, of course, the guarantees offered by Russia and China.

The year 2007 has witnessed a string of heavy setbacks that debilitated the American military strength in Iraq. And in spite of increasing the number of American troops in Iraq, the deteriorating security situation persisted. Rather, sectarian violence has reached a crescendo not only between the Sunni and Shia sects, but also between Shia militias of Al-Sadr and Al-Mahdi Army.

The Bush administration was further weakened by the fall of its four allies -- Tony Blair, Silvio Berlusconi, José Maria Aznar, and John Howard -- in addition to the escape of a number of Bush's close associates, the success of Democrats in winning the majority of the Congress seats, and the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq.

The past year has witnessed the worst setback for the Palestinian cause. Some observers went as far as believing that Arab weakness and the shameful Palestinian fragmentation of Fatah and Hamas and the disintegration of the West Bank and Gaza Strip have become a golden opportunity for achieving Bush's lame promises of establishing the two- state solution. This led to the convening of the Annapolis meeting that came up with no results. And the failure of the meeting was camouflaged by convening a Donors Conference in Paris that resulted in huge financing promises on condition that Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) got rid of Hamas and restored control over Gaza.

It seems that American failures were inevitably followed by Arab failures -- whether in mending fences between Fatah and Hamas, or forging peace among different political forces in Lebanon. All Arab mediation efforts failed due to American failure. Or perhaps American failure was a result of the Arab failure. All Arab causes, in fact, have become dependent on foreign parties, and the destiny of the Arab nation has become in the hands of France, America and Israel.

In light of these regional developments it is not surprising that the US decided to suspend aid to Egypt.