Marriage of convenience
Grandiose failure? Or, perhaps, a perfectly ordinary lovers' tiff? Egyptian American relations are in a state of flux. It is clear that the often stormy relationship between Egypt and America is reaching some kind of climax, or at least is entering a new threshold.
This relationship is a complex affair. And, there are those who on both sides habitually try to deflect the blame for hiccups in the relationship onto outside forces. The fact of the matter is that both Egypt and America are together responsible for the success or failure of their relationship.
Be that as it may, any mending of fences should be tackled incrementally. Quite frankly, any close association with the administration of United States President George W Bush is currently regarded as a liability. Any government that associates closely with, or even is perceived to curry favour with Washington is in dire straits.
At the heart of disagreements between Egypt and America is the question of Washington's unabashed bias towards Israel and its aggressive meddling policies in Iraq, Afghanistan and other Arab and Muslim nations. The other not affirmative factor is the question of American aid to Egypt. The current debate over the future status of annual US assistance to Egypt, currently standing at $1.7 billion has become a barometer for the true nature of the relationship between Egypt and America. Neither country is quite happy about it.
Unfortunately, negative perceptions abound on both sides. While among the American political establishment there are growing criticisms about Egypt and its pace of democratisation and political reform, in Egypt there is an intensifying feeling of resentment against what is seen as gross American interference in Egyptian domestic affairs. Egypt is still considered a key ally of the US in the Arab world, but there is no doubt that it is an uneasy alliance. The two countries do not always see eye to eye.
There must be a shift of focus away from what we differ over to what we share in common. It is in this context that the two-year exchange programme between Egyptian parliamentarians and US congress members is of vital importance for strengthening bilateral relations. Cairo and Washington must make sure their goals are aligned.
Egypt has been instrumental in the fight against terrorism and is an invaluable ally of the US in this region. This particular supportive role by the Egyptians must be openly acknowledged by the Americans. The Egyptian regime has been supportive of the US-led fight against international terrorism at a terrible price.
Public opinion is most certainly against any further development of ties of dependency with Washington. Popular sentiment is for greater independence from reliance on American food aid and assistance. Indeed, the entire issue of the annual US assistance to Egypt has become a bone of contention between the ruling cliques and the masses in many so-called "moderate" Arab countries. The gap between the popular anti-American sentiment and the broadly perceived pro-Pax Americana of the regime is fast widening.
And, lest we forget: if perchance we witness the emergence of a truly democratic regime in the Arab world, the first public demand will be the cutting off of diplomatic relations with the US.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2007/853/ed.htm