The Egyptian government, along with the US administration, will most likely ignore recommendations made in a recent editorial in a prominent US daily pertaining to Egypt's human rights situation, according to local rights activists.
A Washington Post editorial published on Saturday entitled, "Obama's task on Egyptian democracy" comes as the most recent item of relevance in the ongoing American discourse regarding the "transparency" and "openness" of Egypt's democratic process.
The editorial, which represents the paper's official position on the matter, is of particular importance since the daily is considered to be the newspaper most in-tune with Washington policymakers. It is also the most widely-read DC news publication.
That's not to say that US President Barack Obama has not paid lip service to the notion of Egyptian democratic reform.
When he met President Hosni Mubarak in September, the US president reaffirmed his administration's position regarding "the importance of a vibrant civil society, open political competition, and credible and transparent elections in Egypt." The same sentiments were echoed by US Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner during his visit to Egypt last month.
According to the Washington Post editorial, Mubarak's actions on the issue to date appear to have been "exactly the opposite of what the president [Obama] asked." Following the unlawful detention of Muslim Brotherhood members in the run-up to looming parliamentary elections, along with the sacking of the chief editor of one of Egypt's most prominent independent dailies, it would be hard for the unbiased observer to reach any other conclusion.
The US administration's subtle shift in tone comes in the wake of a recent wave of criticism over what many see as Obama's kid-glove approach to America's more dictatorial Arab allies. The issue of Egypt's political trajectory has become especially urgent in light of renewed speculation about Mubarak's longevity.
Despite the Egyptian government's recent success in thwarting the passage of a proposed US Senate Resolution "supporting democracy, human rights, and civil liberties in Egypt," the Post editorial suggests that American politicos and intellectuals are far from convinced of the administration's sincerity regarding the democratization of the Arab world.
In his seminal Cairo speech to the Muslim world last year, Obama hinted at the need for a "fresh start" based on mutual understanding. He has until recently, however, refrained from pushing too hard when this mutual trust has run up against the repression of what the US regards as universal values of freedom of expression and the right to self-determination.
Washington is understandably loath to make any statements that could be seen as infringing on the sovereignty of an allied nation. Nevertheless, "The administration has made clear in its dialogue with the Government of Egypt that democracy and human rights remain issues of concern," the US Embassy in Egypt's press office told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
