The position of the Barack Obama administration during the January 25 revolution in Egypt

Abstract

A little over ten years ago a wave of popular protests, called Arab Spring, has convulsed the Greater Middle East, overthrowing long-ruling leaders and deeply transforming the region’s politics. The article considers internal and external factors of the beginning of the Arab spring, the U.S. reflection on the explosion of popular discontent in the region. Based on official documents of the White House and the State Department, as well as publications of leading American media, the article analyzes the development of U.S. policy towards the January 25 Revolution in Egypt. According to the author, immediately after the start of mass anti-government protests in Egypt, President Obama and his entourage were faced with a difficult dilemma: either to support one of the key allies in the region, or to support the Pro-democratic actions of the Egyptian youth, who demanded the resignation of the “Last Pharaoh”. It is argued that the reaction of official Washington to the internal crisis in Egypt can be traced to several phases. The author concludes that the position of the Obama administration taken in the Egyptian crisis of January-February 2011 should be considered erroneous for a number of reasons.

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