US Reaction to Demonstrations in Egypt Pales in Comparison to its Previous Support for Iranian Protesters

Al Jazeera - ...International news organisations devoted considerable time and energy to Iran's supposed "Green Revolution". Western governments, already ramping up pressure on the Iranian leadership over the latter's controversial nuclear programme, piped in with further vitriol against the Islamic Republic, condemning the leadership for its suppression of protesters.

...After berating the Iranian government for its heavy-handedness against civilians, senior US officials entered the Egyptian fray with a completely different attitude.

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, offered a particular gem of advice to Egyptians, which inevitably had the effect of rubbing salt in the protesters' wounds. While urging "all parties" to "exercise restraint" (why the actions of the demonstrators were equated to those of the security forces is anyone's guess), Clinton added the following caveat: "Our assessment is that the Egyptian government is stable and is looking for ways to respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people."

...As the determination of the Egyptian protesters stiffened and the country witnessed an unprecedented bout of "people power" - despite the repression thrust upon them by Mubarak's ill-disciplined police units - the US found itself increasingly walking a shaky tightrope. With phone conversations between US and Egyptian officials accelerating, Mubarak was now being "urged" to take "concrete steps" for reform...

US policy in the Middle East is naturally driven by ideology and self-interest. It is a policy built on defining allies and foes. Those that have traditionally demonstrated antipathy to US pursuits in the region have been deemed outcasts and vilified whilst those who have acquiesced, to the point of subservience, are flushed with cash and platitudes. The examples of Iran and Egypt are striking in this regard.....
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