DEVELOPMENTS

Nearly a year since U.S. President Barack Obama spoke on the Washington Capitol steps of a “new way forward” with the Muslim world – and more than six months since his landmark Cairo speech of June 2009, perceived administration failures to follow up with tangible policy changes on the ground are causing growing disillusionment in the Arab and Muslim world.

There is little doubt the administration has displayed a strong commitment to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, with ongoing efforts to revive the peace process and move toward a final settlement within two years after negotiations begin. Yet the U.S. continues to face considerable criticism for withdrawing support for democracy in the Middle East, support President Obama suggested the U.S. would provide in his Cairo address.

As a Washington Post editorial pointed out, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton explained in a recent press conference in Cairo that the administration’s vision focuses on “education, human development and human rights,” but failed to mention democracy, while the U.S. Ambassador to Egypt struggled to respond when asked what the American position on democracy in Egypt was. The rhetorical de-prioritization of democracy has been coupled by budgetary adjustments, with democracy assistance to Egypt and Jordan – two of the largest overall recipients of U.S. aid – slashed by 60% and 23%, respectively.