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A dramatic shift in policy The 2004 DoorKnock mission (March 29-April 6) came at a precarious time in American-Middle East relations. While violence escalated in Iraq, the congressional hearings of the 9/11 Commission and America’s position on the war against terrorism made daily headlines. Although this is an election year, the focus is on foreign policy rather than domestic economic issues, with America’s role in our region at the heart of the debate. Our perspectives thus held special interest for the many government officials and think tank and press representatives with whom we interacted. The delegation responded admirably to the challenge of presenting Egypt’s issues in an incisive and comprehensive way. Overall, we found that the relationship between our two countries remains strong, and we met with a warm and attentive reception. I would like to thank the 32 participants in this year’s DoorKnock for their hard work and dedication. We had more reason than ever to be proud since the delegation included a number of first-time participants, many young individuals who performed superbly. I encourage other AmCham members to follow their example, and take advantage of the exceptional experience these missions offer. Aside from serving one’s country by communicating on its behalf, the missions provide a glimpse of the inner workings of the world’s most powerful government and invaluable lessons about how decisions are made. Our schedule demanded that we coordinate activities daily, to brief and debrief each other throughout an intensive week of meetings with members of the US administration, Senate and House of Representatives. Cooperation among delegation members was outstanding. I must thank all the AmCham Egypt staff who arranged the DoorKnock and who work year round to make our organization an effective forum for exchange. We’ve recently stepped up efforts to host congressional staffers in Egypt. These high-level professionals are very important because they are the ones responsible for keeping Congress informed on the issues. During their visit, some staffers suggested we do a presentation in Congress, to share our first-hand picture of Egypt’s realities on the ground. Thanks to their efforts, we made presentations before four congressional committees, portraying Egypt’s transition from a 70-percent government-owned economy to a 70-plus percent private sector-driven one in less than 30 years. During my 45-minute PowerPoint presentation, my colleagues participated; representatives from Microsoft, Intergen, General Motors, BP and others corroborated the facts with their personal experience and success stories. Since American concern has shifted from Egypt’s economic reform to its political scene, we also described developments in the National Democratic Party, the new Human Rights Council, the ongoing work of the National Women’s Council and the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies’ collaboration with Hernando de Soto’s institute. What’s more, we presented copies of the Alexandria Declaration to our interlocutors, and the response was one of the high points of our trip. The Alexandria Declaration was the result of the conference organized by Arab civil society entitled “Arab Reform Issues: Vision and Implementation.” The fact that the conference was inaugurated by President Mubarak did not go unnoticed in America. The Alexandria Declaration attracted praise and admiration because it covered all aspects of reform and it originated here in our region. High-ranking US officials expressed their full support and willingness to assist its implementation. We left Washington feeling we’d made Egypt’s case as a leader in regional economic, socio-political development. We felt we’d deepened the bond of friendship amongst ourselves as well as the understanding of the Americans we met. Since we witnessed the genuine concern of so many US policymakers to remedy the deteriorating situations in Iraq and Palestine, we cannot be silent about statements made by President Bush and Israeli prime minister Sharon seven days after we returned from America. As president of an organization entrusted with US-Egypt relations, and as a friend of the US, I feel it is our duty, responsibility and interest to convey the effects the statements have had on the peace process, regional stability and local perceptions of the US. It has surely undermined America’s lavish media campaign to win the “hearts and minds of Arabs” since it radically dismissed decades of negotiations, of sacrifice and tragedy. If the war against terrorism post-9/11 is our primary and shared objective, then President Bush’s endorsement of the Sharon plan runs squarely against it. Whereas the US advocates freedom, democracy and the rule of law, the Sharon plan violates every principle of international law as well as the right of self-determination. As America seeks to promote democracy in the region, it cannot ignore a people’s striving for justice. Indeed, the war on terrorism can only be won with peaceful and just solutions, a process in which the US must play a decisive role. America’s progress to date is marred by violence in Iraq, but it is Washington’s emphatic alignment with Israel that is the cause for Arab and international dismay. Peace can only come through dialogue governed by
trusted and balanced mediators. With his recent statements, President
Bush effectively compromised America’s role as such, to the
disappointment of champions of justice, freedom and democracy worldwide.
Taher S. Helmy |
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