An editorial in today's WP titled "A First Answer to Egypt", the column begins with "The Bush administration has taken a first step toward adjusting its relationship with Egypt following President Hosni Mubarak's flagrant violation of his promises to lead a transition to democracy. An Egyptian delegation that was to visit Washington this month to discuss a free-trade agreement has been disinvited, and the agreement itself was put on hold."

The editorial concludes "While there may not be ready alternatives to Mr. Mubarak, it is foolish not to connect one of the largest U.S. foreign subsidies to vital American interests. First among those interests is concrete steps toward the construction of a political system that will allow Egypt's next president and parliament to be elected democratically. That means the lifting of emergency laws, the legalization of centrist parties that Mr. Mubarak keeps banned, and the removal of controls from the press and independent civil society groups. Ayman Nour should be freed and allowed to work unhindered for the constitutional reform he advocates. If Mr. Mubarak will not take these steps -- this year -- then it is not in the U.S. interest to keep funding his armed forces."

And once again, the US has wasted an opportunity for reform in the Middle East, if it ever intended that. By not holding President Mubarak to his promises and ignoring a dialog with prominent political forces, Egypt is faced with a choice between Mubarak (without viable secular opposition) and the Moslem Brotherhood. The US may be happy to live with the Mubarak regime and all its drawbacks, but it also has to live with the consequence of a polarized political situation, with dire consequences to the country.