Real Hope and Change

Egypt has been an ally of the United States for several years. It's been an alliance built on self interest really for both sides. In the 70's and 80's the U.S. thought it was important to be close to countries that weren't aligned with the Soviet Union. Since Egypt had been a model of stability in an unstable region and were next door neighbors to Israel, it was in the best interests of our government to stay on friendly terms. Egypt receives 1.5 billion dollars of aid from our nation. They have received military parts and supplies over the last three decades so both sides have benefited.

Things change however including the political winds. In the past, our nation could overlook some of the misdeeds of other leaders. There's a difference in a person being a bad guy and being "our" bad guy. We could overlook Hosni Mubarak's behavior as he ignored human rights issued. We didn't worry when he wouldn't hold free and open elections. After all, the alternative could be worse. Egypt could become another Iran. We at least could sway Mubarak on the important matters in the Middle East.

Then a funny thing happened. As President George W. Bush predicted, when people see their neighbors living in a free and open society, they want the same for themselves. Thanks to the internet, text messaging and cell phones the world has gotten smaller. Egyptians look across their borders at Israel and see political stability. They can look further east and see that Iraq has become a representative government.

We as a nation have stated time and time again that we will always support people's in their quest for democracy, self rule and freedom. Now is the perfect and possibly the only opportunity for the Obama administration to stand behind those words in Egypt. They've been reluctant to come down hard on Mubarak because of our long relationship with him. His rule is over. It's only a question now of when and how it will end.

If the United States wants to continue to be taken seriously in the Middle East, we need to announce that we are solidly behind the people and their protest. There is no middle ground on these issues. It has worried me over the past few days to hear Secretary of State Clinton try to straddle the fence on this issue. We're looking at an event that possibly rivals the collapse of the Berlin Wall yet this administration wants to sit on the wall.

To be taken seriously as a leader, this is a time for Obama to stand up and be counted. For this nation to show the Middle East and the world that we do more than pay lip service to freedom, we need to tell Mubarak his time is up. Egyptians are creating change. The United States needs to give them hope.