Obama’s Pressure on Mubarak Could Cost US Regional Influence

It’s no secret that the US values democracy, free speech and representative government – and that the regimes ruling Arab nations in the Middle East resist those values. “The Obama administration has so far followed a bifurcated approach of supporting both the popular uprisings sweeping across the region and friendly regimes moving to implement reforms,” writes Howard LaFranchi for the Christian Science Monitor. As protesters push for new governance in Egypt and the Obama administration urges the Mubarak regime to hurry reforms and transfer of power, other longstanding alliances could feel threatened, questioning US dependability and relying less on the US for combating extremism, protecting oil shipments or arranging arms transfers. Reduced responsibility, extracting itself from webs of corruption and special interests in the Middle East, could either weaken or strengthen the US. – YaleGlobal