Laura Bush in Cairo

I can only hope that Laura Bush was the victim of poor briefing in Cairo.  I can only hope that her effusive praise for Mubarak's "democratic reforms" - even as Egyptian democratic activists boycott the referendum, virtually all independent observers see the new reforms as exceptionally obviously fixed to ensure no serious competition for the ruling party, and scores of Muslim Brotherhood activists are rounded up by security forces -  was not meant as a signal of American policy.  That's what I hope:  she was just there to do Sesame Street, and she gave a bad answer to an unexpected question. 

Either way, the First Lady giving a flashy and warm thumbs-up to Mubarak's sham reforms is just about the worst possible thing for American credibility in the democracy promotion business.   It's just devastating.   Arabs want to know whether the US is sincere in pushing democracy, and this tells them, once again, that it isn't.   It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Laura Bush were honestly reflecting her husband's private views, since I've never thought that he was all that serious about promoting democracy in the Arab world. Maybe it should bother some of the "tsunami of Bushy democracy" enthusiasts over on the other side of the aisle, but that's their business.

It's a public diplomacy disaster, a real fiasco, coming on the heels of so many others.  Wouldn't it be neat if the United States had someone in charge of public diplomacy to the Middle East, some kind of... I don't know... maybe an Under-Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, to coordinate the message and make sure that these things don't keep happening? 
    (note/update:  according to yesterday's Daily Press Briefing, Dina Powell is finally up for confirmation later this week;  Karen Hughes, well, still the end of the summer, maybe.)

Comments

[Nur al-Cubicle]

Reuters:
CAIRO - Opponents of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak rejected U.S. First Lady Laura Bush's interpretation of Egyptian politics, saying they could not even see the progress she was praising. "There are no reform steps at all. The regime is still following the dictatorial and repressive method towards the Egyptian people and opposition," said Mohamed Habib, deputy leader of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood.

[praktike]

Maybe she just thought Mubarak needed a tongue bath.

[SP]

I don't think she wasn't properly briefed. Public Diplomacy under-secretary or not, the Bushies know their media management. I think it's just Dubya's way of reassuring Mubarak that democratization rhetoric is for American consumption and he isn't really going to pull the plug on all that nice military aid, because Egypt is too important to US interests. I see it as a nudge-wink you-pretend-to-democratize-and-we'll-praise-you gesture.

Her trip to the West Wall was intriguing. What do y'all make of that? Message to Israel?

[marty]

This is just one more example of the obscene, phony, hypocritical and dangerous "Bush doctrine"......we pretend to support democracy, but in reality, and as the people in the Middle East can plainly see IT"S A SHAM.

This is only making us more distrusted, more hated, and less likely to have any real influence.

But, Bush is all about "pretend" leadership, anyway......and the fact that Karen Hughes is supposed to be the manager of our outreach tells you all you need to know.....she'a a professional propagandist and liar, plain and simple.

[Nur al-Cubicle]

Her trip to the West Wall was intriguing. What do y'all make of that?

One more occupant of the White House paraded to the Wailing Wall. There's been more trips there than to Normandy.

I don't know why POTUS &Cie. don't troop to Blarney Castle.

[Stewart Dean]

HOW did this happen????? Well, the words 'faith-based vs. reality-based/ should come to mind. *Of course* Laura projected that fantasy. That's where the Bush lives, in faith-based lunacy-land, with the Red Queen. Really, mankind there's no point in getting all upset about it. You should know by now the the Bush and the GOP apparatchik are out there in the Rapture.
Treat it as disasterously funny in some dreadful way, but don't argue the points of the situations! You can debate the Critique of Pure Reason with your cat to greater purpose.