U.S.-Egypt at the Middle East Institute Conference

The panel on U.S.-Egypt relations proved the highlight of the annual Middle East Institute conference in DC this past Friday.  Graeme Bannerman moderated the panel.  He holds a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern studies, taught at AUB, served as a longtime staffer for Sen Dick Lugar, and most relevantly, for the past decade or longer he has advised Egyptian Military officials on how to navigate Washington.  Panelists included new Egyptian Ambassador to the United States Sameh Shoukry, previous U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Frank Ricciardone, and Carnegie Fellow Michelle Dunne (consummate Egypt watcher).  Bannerman stole the show (hopefully a recording will soon be found here)

First Dr. Bannerman invited opening remarks from the panelists:

Amb Shoukry:  Egypt is committed to the bilateral relationship, reform, and continuing its positive role as a regional stabilizer.

Amb Ricciardone:  Egypt still matters, and its rather unfortunate to have to say so.  Change is happening in Egypt, even if at a slower pace than some would like.  External forces can not force change, but they can nature it.

Dr. Dunne:  The bilateral relationship has deteriorated under the Bush Administration and needs repair.  It survived disagreements over regional policy, but disagreements over domestic issues have frayed the friendship.  Both sides, but especially the U.S., needs to develop a new diplomatic tack.

Then he admonished the panelists, and each previous panelist who sat on a previous panel at any previous conference, for ignoring the U.S. side of the U.S.-Egypt question.  We place too much emphasis on what Egypt needs to do, he said, and not enough on what America needs to do.  Quoting Michael Jackson he encouraged American policymakers to look at the Man in the Mirror.  The audience of about 300 erupted in applause.  Dr. Bannerman argued that the two pivotal turning points in Middle Eastern affairs happened when Egypt sided with the Soviets and then switched over to side with the Americans.  He wondered why the United States, which had developed so much good will with Egypt over the past 30 years, would possibly want to regress by treating Egypt as a client, not a partner.  Specifically, he pointed out that when Egypt and the U.S. were both in agreement to reduce Economic Support Funds after Fiscal Year 2008, the U.S. failed to respond to Egypt's proposal to discuss a gradual reduction and instead cut the aid in half unilaterally.  When prompted Ambassador Ricciardone failed to respond to that point, but one suspects that it was heavy handed "tough love guys" in DC who made that call.

Egyptian Ambassador Shoukry defended Egypt's commitment to reform and democracy during the question and answer period, noting that Egypt boasts 20 political parties.  Dr. Dunne then asked him to name them.  Ouch.  He got a few, but she reminded him that many didn't have names, real leadership, or viability.  It was a lively panel.