The Emerging Democracy of Egypt

The Egyptian Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Sameh Shoukry shown here with Jake, fielded questions from Political Science students on November 30th, 2011.  Also responding to questions were Mr. Hani Nagi and Mr. Amgad Resk.  It was an honor for these students to engage with such distinguished diplomats.

Rajaa (in Arabic)- In your opinion, how long do you think it will take Egypt to return to the way it was meaning politically stable?  ANSWER- Egypt is an old civilization that has gone through many eras which took time to stabilize over time. It is currently going through the process of electing a new president and establishing a new constitution. The process will take time.

Brian (right)- The United States have provided Egypt billions of dollars of aid over the years and I assume you would like that aid to continue.  However considering the U.S. is 15 trillion(!) dollars in debt, are you concerned that future aid may not be forthcoming? ANSWER- There are two types of aid, economic and military. The economic aid does not concern us because it is not very much. Egypt and America have been allies for a very long time and we believe we can get aid from America in military actions.

Shelbey (3rd from right)- One positive aspect of the U.S. is its tolerance towards religious minorities. Do you see the new government of Egypt protecting the rights of religious minorities in Egypt, especially Coptic Christians?  ANSWER- The new government has already been making efforts to penalize those who discriminate against others.  This includes fines or jail sentences.

Sapna (being interviewed by Egyptian Television after the Q&A).  Her question was- Some in Pakistan were not happy when U.S. forces landed in Pakistan and killed Osama Bin Laden.  Did you have any problems with the way the United States handled that operation? ANSWER- Pakistan's attitude was justified. Any nation would be opposed to foreign infringement.  I can understand their view that they should have been informed.

Prateek- The government of Egypt strongly supported the first U.S. war against Iraq, the successful goal of which was to remove Iraq from Kuwait.  The second war against Iraq, Egypt did not support as strongly.   Why was that?  ANSWER- We didn't support the second war with Iraq because we wanted to avoid bloodshed.

Alex- One of the more prominent figures in Egyptian history was Gamel Abdul Nassar.  What is the popular opinion of him today in Egypt? ANSWER- Nassar is still thought of as a great leader but he has his critics.

Kris- (right)- What would you say is the most important lesson regarding the 1967 war which did not go well for Egypt?  ANSWER- That war proved that it is still possible to reach peace.

Steve (3rd from right)- If you had a meeting with President Obama and he asked your advice regarding Afghanistan, what would you say? ANSWER- We would hope Obama would keep the needs and wants of the Afghan people when planning operations.

Emily (right)- President Obama announced all troops would be out of Iraq by the end of this year.  Do you support that decision or would you like to see U.S. troops remain to help Iraqi stability over the next few years? ANSWER- That's purely an American decision. What we would like to see is a just, strong and stable Iraq.

Sandra (in Arabic)- Over the years some Egyptians went to places like Serbia and Afghanistan and fought alongside groups like Al Qaeda.  News reports have stated that 3,000 of these fighters have returned to Egypt. Why did the government allow them to come back into the country when even the Mubarak regime would not let them in?  ANSWER- These groups have not been charged with anything and there is nothing against them that can stop them from coming back. And you may refer to them as terrorists but other people don't.

Steve

Max- With your recent shift in government how would you describe the reception of the transitional government?  ANSWER- After the fall of Mubarak, the transitional government has been very popular because of the fact that it has been leading to a full functioning democracy.

Ana (left)- Do you expect the elections to go as planned and is there any possibility for corruption?  ANSWER- We hope the elections will go smoothly but it is too early to tell.

Fahduma (right)- Did your government support the U.S. and other nations helping the Libyan opposition against Mormmar Khadafy? ANSWER- Our first concern was the Egyptian citizens living in Libya at the time of the revolt. Egypt chose to view the situation as what was best for the Egyptians in Libya.  Of course we wished for the stability of our western neighbor too.

Azraf- (earlier during Q&A)- Do you believe Islam should play an important role in developing the new Egyptian government? ANSWER- We want a civil state. We respect the will of the people but we want a clear differentiation between Islam as the religion and Islamic political parties.

Scott- Egypt came very close to winning the 1973 war.  Do you think the last 40 years would have been better if Egypt had won that war and Palestinians had been sovereign over the land occupied by Israel?  ANSWER- We were victorious in the war both politically and militarily. The Sinai was cleared of Israel settlements.  But the war is not what we should be focusing on, it should be the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. We should pay attention to what brings people together not tears them apart.

Rawan (in Arabic)- Does Israel have anything to fear from Egypt and does Egypt have anything to fear from Israel? ANSWER- No, we want to continue our peaceful relations.

Khooban- Former President Carter said he had planned to pray on Mount Sinai with Israeli leader Menahem Begin and former Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat.  Due to the assassination of Sadat that never took place.  Would you be open to the idea of a future leader of Egypt, perhaps yourself, praying with a future leader of Israel and an American president?  ANSWER- Yes, but it would depend on the timing and if there were pure intensions and if it gives the right message.

Ballots Egyptians in America cast two days before our visit.

Sandra

Dominic- Americans that are old enough to remember the assassination of President Kennedy were deeply affected by it and they remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the news.  Do you and other Egyptians view the assassination of Anwar Sadat the same way?  ANSWER- Yes it was like that. We saw Sadat as the man that tamed the beast of Israel. He also began economic reforms that brought Egypt economic strength. So yes, we remember him and mourn his assassination.

Breanna (right)- Did you hold the same position in the Embassy of Egypt while Hosni Mubarak was president and if so, was it difficult to represent his policies? ANSWER- We are not allowed to affiliate with political parties. We are civil servants and carry out the general policies with whomever the president is.

Leann- How would you rate President Obama’s policy toward Egypt and in general toward the Middle East? ANSWER- We are strategic partners.  We appreciate that President Obama supports the transitional government and that he has continued aid.

Jake- The strongest allies the U.S. has include England, Canada, Japan, Israel and Egypt.  What nations are Egypt’s strongest allies? ANSWER- The United States and most Arab countries.

Lia (left)- You mentioned the protests in Tahrir Square.  If these protests continue, how do you think that will impact the elections in the future.  ANSWER- The protestors help people get out to the vote. It helped break the record of voting in Egypt. Protests are just another way of expressing opinion.

Erin (2nd from left)- Did you support the Palestinians quest for statehood at the U.N. and if so has that hurt your relationship with Israel?  ANSWER- The Palestinians quest for statehood is an internationally recognized right.

Russ (right)- Other than the pyramids, what tourist attractions would you like people to see in Egypt? ANSWER- There are many things from each phase or era of Egypt's history.  We recently started coral reef and aquamarine tours.

Georgia- What do you want the American people to know about the Egyptian people? ANSWER- Egyptians are very diverse, just like Americans.  They have a broad culture. We believe in hospitality and welcome tourists though it's difficult lately due to the chaos.

Alexis- Have you travelled throughout the United States and if so, what are some of your favorite places?  ANSWER- The west coast , mid west and recently to New York, Delaware and Florida.

Alexis

Ben- What was your reaction on the day Hosni Mubarak stepped down as leader of Egypt? ANSWER- We were proud our nation could go through a revolution and we are confident that good will come from it.

Peter (3rd from  left)- News reports in the U.S. suggest that Egyptians do not support the peace treaty with Israel.  Is this accurate and if so, why is that? ANSWER- The media is always going to focus on bad news. Any rational person is going to be in favor of peace and the development chances it presents through economic and diplomat cooperation.