Obama: Egypt’s Mubarak (In Power 28 Years) Not an Authoritarian Leader

Citing Hosni Mubarak’s “peace” with Israel, Obama calls the Egyptian president a “force for stability and good”

By Jeremy Scahill

Hosni Mubarak of Egypt has been in power for 28 years. His human rights record is atrocious, his treatment of dissidents violent and his embrace of actual democratic processes, well, basically nonexistant. Human Rights Watch recently described Mubarak as running an “entrenched authoritarian government.” Amnesty International charges that “free expression [is] outlawed in Egypt.” Tomorrow, President Obama will deliver a major address in Cairo, but don’t expect him to mention anything directly critical of Mubarak (obviously not a surprise). In an interview with the BBC’s Justin Webb, Obama detailed exactly how he sees Mubarak:

BBC: Do you regard President Mubarak as an authoritarian ruler?

PRESIDENT OBAMA: No, I tend not to use labels for folks. I haven’t met him. I have spoken to him on the phone. He has been a stalwart ally in many respects to the United States. He has sustained peace with Israel which is a very difficult thing to do in that region, but he has never resorted to unnecessary demagoguing on the issue and has tried to maintain that relationship so i think he has been a force for stability and good in the region. Obviously there have been criticisms of the manner in which politics operates in Egypt, and, as I said before the United States job is not to lecture but to encourage, to lift up what we consider to be the values that ultimately will work, not just for our country, but for the aspirations of a lot of people.

According to Human Rights Watch:

President Mubarak in 2008 renewed the Emergency Law, in force since 1981, which allows authorities to detain persons arbitrarily and try them in special security courts that do not meet international fair trial standards. Security forces have violently suppressed strikes and peaceful demonstrations, arresting and sometimes torturing bloggers and other activists involved in promoting such activities.

Egyptian law also provides criminal penalties that stifle legitimate NGO activities, including “engaging in political or union activities.”

In addition to Mubarak’s support for Israel, Egypt has been a staple in the US extraordinary rendition program.

The full BBC interview can be viewed here.