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Gates Calls Egypt Protests Signal to Other Mid-East Leaders

   Al Pessin | Pentagon  February 08, 2011
   U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

Photo: AP

   U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

   U.S.   Defense   Secretary   Robert   Gates   says  the  pro-democracy
   demonstrations  in  Egypt and Tunisia should inspire other governments
   in the Middle East to enact reforms he says the United States has been
   advocating  for  years.   In  his  first  public  comments  since the
   Egyptian  protests  began  two weeks ago, Gates also said the Egyptian
   military  has  done  everything  U.S. officials have asked, and made a
   contribution  to  what  he  called âthe evolution of democracyâ in the
   country. Â
   Secretary Gates calls the protests in Tunisia and Egypt âa spontaneous
   manifestation  of  discontent,â  and  he says other governments in the
   region should take note, and take action.
   âWe  have  known about these grievances for a long time.  And we have
   spoken  to  a  number of governments in the region over time about the
   need  to  address  these  concerns.   And  so  my hope would be other
   governments  in  the  region,  seeing  this spontaneous action in both
   Tunisia and in Egypt, will take measures to begin moving in a positive
   direction  toward  addressing the political and economic grievances of
   their people,â Gates stated.
   Gates  said  that  could  lead  to  âan  orderly transition to greater
   democracyâ  and toward addressing the regionâs economic problems.  He
   expressed  particular concern about countries that have a large number
   of  unemployed  young  people.   Those  are  the  kind  of people who
   sometimes  turn  to  Islamic  radicalism when their governments do not
   respond to their needs.
   Secretary  Gates  also  praised the Egyptian militaryâs conduct during
   the   crisis.    He  has  spoken  several  times  with  his  Egyptian
   counterpart,  and  top  U.S.  military  officers  have  also spoken to
   theirs.   Officials  say  their main message was a call for restraint
   and  professionalism,  and  a  desire  to  keep  military  channels of
   communication open. Â
   Gates  said  the  Egyptian  army,  which  has  not  used force against
   protesters  and has protected them in some situations, has acted in an
   exemplary fashion.

   âFrankly,  they  have  done everything that we have indicated we would
   hope  that  they  would  do,â he said. âSo, I would say that they have
   made  a  contribution  to  the  evolution of democracy and what we are
   seeing in Egypt.â
   Gates  said  it  is  âcriticalâ now to move forward at âa steady paceâ
   toward implementing the Egyptian governmentâs newly promised reforms.
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References

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