Abstract
The Arab Spring, a series of revolutionary civil uprisings that swept across the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, has drastically transformed the Egyptian political sphere. Egypt, designated a major nonNATO ally by the United States (Foreign Assistance Act, 1989), is one of the largest recipients of U.S. economic and military assistance. Its domestic developments have consequently been of major interest to the Obama administration. Drawing from relevant executive statements and releases, major news media and Congressional Research Service reports, and peer-reviewed publications, my research delineates the public rhetoric and actions of the U.S. executive office towards the state of Egypt within the framework of the ongoing Arab Spring. It specifically examines the administration’s reaction to the mass civil protests against former President Hosni Mubarak, his ousting, the establishment of an interim government, the succession of President Mohamed Morsi, and ends with General el-Sisi’s military coup. By contrasting both the rhetoric and actions of the administration towards these events, my research examines the congruence between U.S. pronouncements and policies as they pertain to Egypt, highlights tensions, and serves to assess U.S. interests within the state.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. G. Nelson Bass
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-4-2014 1:00 PM
End Date
4-4-2014 5:30 PM
Reality and Rhetoric: U.S. Foreign Policy and Egypt's Arab Spring
Alvin Sherman Library
The Arab Spring, a series of revolutionary civil uprisings that swept across the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, has drastically transformed the Egyptian political sphere. Egypt, designated a major nonNATO ally by the United States (Foreign Assistance Act, 1989), is one of the largest recipients of U.S. economic and military assistance. Its domestic developments have consequently been of major interest to the Obama administration. Drawing from relevant executive statements and releases, major news media and Congressional Research Service reports, and peer-reviewed publications, my research delineates the public rhetoric and actions of the U.S. executive office towards the state of Egypt within the framework of the ongoing Arab Spring. It specifically examines the administration’s reaction to the mass civil protests against former President Hosni Mubarak, his ousting, the establishment of an interim government, the succession of President Mohamed Morsi, and ends with General el-Sisi’s military coup. By contrasting both the rhetoric and actions of the administration towards these events, my research examines the congruence between U.S. pronouncements and policies as they pertain to Egypt, highlights tensions, and serves to assess U.S. interests within the state.
