egypt: The Challenge of Political Reform: Egypt After the Iraq War

The U.S. led war on Iraq has strengthened opposition to U.S. policies in Egypt; emboldened challenges to the regime; led to a growing consensus in favour of political reform and realignment of the opposition, according to a new report from the International Crisis Group. The ICG says the U.S. administration should take seriously the evidence of political damage that American-Egyptian relations have sustained as a consequence of its regional policies, notably its perceived bias in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, its decision to topple the regime in Iraq, and its heavy-handed admonitions to Egypt and other Arab countries to reform. Washington's policies, and the manner of their implementation, have embarrassed a friendly government, aggravated its domestic difficulties and undermined the U.S.'s self-proclaimed reform agenda.