Egypt: Mubarak Makes Monkeys Out of Hillary and Obama

Over the past week, Obama had sought to arrange for Mubarak's immediate resignation (see: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/04/world/middleeast/04diplomacy.html?_r=1), something he could never bring himself to request of Ahmadinejad during the height of the 2009 rioting in Iran. As reported by Yahoo News on Sunday:

"Obama spoke Saturday to several foreign leaders about the unrest in Egypt and underscored the need for 'an orderly, peaceful transition, beginning now,' the White House said in a statement."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110206/wl_mideast_afp/egyptpoliticsunrest_11

And on Sunday, as reported by National Public Radio from Germany, Hillary also got into the act, tacitly acknowledging White House acceptance of the Muslim Brotherhood as a negotiating partner:

"Today we learned the Muslim Brotherhood decided to participate, which suggests they at least are now involved in the dialogue that we have encouraged. We're going to wait and see how this develops, but we've been very clear about what we expect."

Well, whatever the White House had "been very clear" in expecting, Obama is now furiously backtracking. As reported by CNN, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs stated on Monday:

"This is a process that is going to be at times bumpy, because when for 28 years you have had one leader, without ... really a robust opposition, it's going to take some time to work this stuff out."

. . . .

The process has to be dynamic, and we have to see the government take part in a meaningful way and outline a series of steps and a timeline that the Egyptian people are comfortable with."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/02/07/us.egypt/index.html?hpt=T1

Why the change of heart? Is it because the fury witnessed in Tahrir Square might subside, as hoped for by Mubarak? After witnessing chaos envelop their economy, are a majority of Egyptians seeking a return to normalcy? Note the following quotation from Amre Moussa, as reported today by CNN:

"But some leading Egyptian figures say Mubarak should be allowed to remain in office. Arab League Secretary-General Amre Moussa, who visited the Tahrir Square protest last week, told CNN that the 82-year-old president should be allowed a 'dignified exit' in September.

'I believe that the president should stay until the end of his mandate. The consensus is growing on this point because of certain constitutional considerations,' Moussa told CNN on Monday."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/07/egypt.protests/index.html?hpt=T2

Mubarak has made monkeys of Hillary and Obama, and the current administration, renowned for its vacillation and indecision, has brought U.S. overseas credibility to a new nadir.