Egypt and reform

The Bush administration, like those before it, has to decide on how far it wants to go to advance the cause of reform in the region. The United States doles out $1.2 billion annually in foreign aid to Egypt (only Israel receives more), and it could use that money to extract a commitment to reforms. But despite his pledge to end tyranny in the world, Mr. Bush can't afford to lean too heavily on either of his two key allies in the Arab world. And he won't, despite Ms. Rice's "concerns." That's because of Egypt's role in helping resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Mr. Mubarak hosted the recent summit in which the two announced a truce. Egypt also has mediated sessions with Palestinian militants and pledged to secure the Gaza border. In Iraq, use of Egyptian air space for American jets has been critical to the U.S. war effort.

If Mr. Bush is true to his vision of a new Middle East, democracy has to take root in Egypt, whose vast history and rich culture account for its role as the heart of the Arab world. But Egypt also is an important center of Islamic learning and is home to the Muslim Brotherhood, a political group responsible for terrorist attacks there. At 76, Mr. Mubarak has lived and governed through deadly times. It is highly unlikely that he on his own will seek political reforms that could threaten his continued rule or that of his preferred successor, his son. Economic reforms are more palatable to this autocrat, and at the very least, the White House must insist on those. Mr. Mubarak has been able to ignore U.S. calls for reform with his activities on the Israeli-Palestinian front.