By Michael Powell
Staff Writer
Continuing to support Mubarak’s regime of rigid central power and dictatorship is contrary to the United States’ values of democracy and resistance to tyranny. For this reason, the United States should support free Egyptian democracy without the force the U.S. has used in other periods in the region.
To foster democracy while ensuring peace, the United States should begin by withholding all support from the current regime. The United States, for the sake of stability in the Middle East, must refrain from “back-door” involvement and entanglement in the elections. As idealistic as this goal is, it would be in the best interest of the U.S. to allow democracy to thrive.
By convincing Mubarak to step down, speedy and fair elections can be ensured. Lastly, to secure the stability of an Egyptian democracy in a land unaccustomed to such an institution would be in both the United States’ and the world’s best interests to make sure that military aid to Egypt continues. The Egyptian military has been pivotal in the recent protests by mediating conflicts and trying to protect protesters.
However, if radical elements gain control, the United States can withhold this aid, incentivizing moderation and fairness in a potentially volatile political process. Rather than actively pushing for a more favorable government, the U.S. must accept the new government and respond only through peaceful diplomatic techniques.
All Americans should support the pursuit of liberty and democracy, but what does a democratic future mean for Israel, the Middle East and the United States?
The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic movement in Egypt, has been seen as a possible threat to peace in the country once Mubarak steps down, but their significance has been misunderstood by the American press.
While the threat of radical Islam guiding a country’s government is a tangible threat, refusing to accept the possibility of working with the Muslim Brotherhood is ill-advised and counter-productive.
While some may say that trusting that the Egyptian election outcomes to be safe and peaceful is naive, it is not the job of the U.S. to ensure that a favorable candidate wins elections. In order to support true democracy, the U.S. must respect the result of Egypt’s elections.
The U.S. has been presented with the valuable opportunity to reshape its foreign policy in the Middle East. Many governments such as Hamas in Gaza and Ahmadinejad’s government in Iran are radical toward the U.S. because the U.S. has previously toppled regimes and interfered with sovereign nations’ affairs. The U.S. should support countries such as Tunisia and Egypt without the entanglement of previous U.S. policies.
The U.S. must show that the doctrines of self-determination and sovereignty are more than just talking points. These values are cornerstones of 21st century diplomacy.
Most importantly, it will set an important precedent for the rest of the Middle East. The United States can make the world safe for democracy, not by force, but by example.
Leave a Reply