Democracy Prevention: The Politics of the U.S.-Egyptian Alliance

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Democracy Prevention: The Politics of the U.S.-Egyptian Alliance

by

Jason Brownlee

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2012

Book Description

Written for students as well as specialists, Democracy Prevention explains how America's alliance with Egypt has impeded democratic change and reinforced authoritarianism over time. The book is the first to combine extensive archival evidence, including access to all of the Wikileaks cables, and interviews with more than two dozen top Egyptian and American decision makers

When a popular revolt forced long-ruling Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to resign on February 11, 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama hailed the victory of peaceful demonstrators in the heart of the Arab World. But Washington was late to endorse democracy - for decades the United States favored Egypt's rulers over its people. Since 1979, the United States had provided the Egyptian regime more than $60 billion in aid and immeasurable political support to secure its main interests in the region: Israeli security and strong relations with Persian Gulf oil producers. During the Egyptian uprising, the White House did not promote popular sovereignty but instead backed an "orderly transition" to one of Mubarak's cronies. Even after protesters derailed that plan, the anti-democratic U.S.-Egyptian alliance continued. Using untapped primary materials, this book helps explain why authoritarianism has persisted in Egypt with American support, even as policy makers claim to encourage democratic change

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Editorial Reviews

"If 'the economy, stupid' explains voting behavior in the United States, then 'the security, stupid' explains why and how the United States co-constituted and sustained the long rule of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. In the process of tracing the U.S.-Egyptian relationship since 1979, Jason Brownlee helps us understand three important issues: why dictators endure; why the United States is not, even after the Cold War, always a champion of democratic change; and why the fall of dictators does not always or easily translate into the rise of democracy." - Valerie Bunce, Aaron Binenkorb Professor of International Studies and Professor of Government, Cornell University

"A searching study on a neglected topic in post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy-United States support for modern day 'friendly tyrants.' Brownlee's probing approach takes the reader behind the veil of U.S. pro-democracy rhetoric to the realities of policy choices and compromises. The picture he paints is as sobering as it is revealing." - Thomas Carothers, Vice President for Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

"In this carefully researched and strongly argued book, Jason Brownlee examines the strain in American policy toward Egypt between hard strategic interests and the more idealistic goal of promoting democracy. He shows convincingly that from the time of the Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement in 1979 onward, strategic interests have been at the core of the relationship, even during the brief period when George W. Bush was promoting his 'democracy agenda' in 2005. One might expect that in the aftermath of the Egyptian uprising in January 2011 that ousted Husni Mubarak that things might change, but Brownlee cautions that elites on both sides of the U.S.-Egyptian relationship are likely to try to limit the impact of Egypt's democratic turn. I hope he is wrong, but his pessimistic conclusion is worth bearing in mind." - William B. Quandt, Professor of Politics, University of Virginia

"This outstanding book by Brownlee (Univ. of Texas Austin) is a through, scholarly study of the dynamics of Washington's alliance with Cairo during the Sadat and Mubarak eras. The author demonstrates unusual boldness in documenting the US role in perpetuating authoritarianism" - G. E. Perry, emeritus, Indiana State University, CHOICE
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A REVEALING PORTRAIT OF THE STRAIN IN AMERICAN POLICY TOWARD EGYPT
By
Geraldine Ahearn
TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE VOICE
October 29, 2012[/align]
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Jason Brownlee delivers a fascinating, carefully researched examination of the strain in American policy in a persuasive argument about the U.S. and Egyptian Relations, and much more. The author explains through extensive research how America's alliance with Egypt has impeded Democratic change, while reinforcing authoritarianism. He demonstrates this strong argument through concise evidence, and interviews with several Egyptian and American decision makers. In addition, the author helps us understand why the fall of dictators doesn't always translate into the rise of democracy, why dictators endure, and why the U.S. is not. Brownlee takes the reader behind the scenes of U.S. pro-democracy to the reality of policy changes. The colorful picture of a portrait drawn by the author is revealing, and his pessimistic conclusion will have you ponder, long after this thought-provoking book is closed. Comprehensive, interesting, and Highly Recommended to students and history lovers [/align]

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Great book
By
RPK
TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE VOICE
November 27, 2012 [/align]
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Great book for in depth details over our international relationship with Egypt and Israel. Brownlee does an amazing job at providing valid explanations at how we have fortified specific aspects of our policies with these countries. The most absorbing and well written parts of this book revolve around national defense and security

I found the descriptions really thoughtful and insightful. It's interesting to learn about the way we communicate with dictatorial regimes and how we handle interactions with those countries while maintaining peace and prosperity. It's a tough and constant struggle for peace and this book outlines so many important parts of our role in the world. Great book. I am taking a star off for one small issue with the length. At times it felt a bit rushed. I wished for longer explanations at some points. But, overall, a highly informative and well written thesis [/align]

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ILL-GOTTEN GAINS
By
Red Rock
Bookworm TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE VOICE
on December 29, 2012[/align]

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This recap of the political dynamics as well as the humanistic and scientific perspectives that constitute the relationship forged between the United States and Egypt over a number of decades. The tome is 277 pages long with 177 of those pages dedicated to author Jason Brownlee's personal insights into this history and the remaining pages containing notes and identifying his sources. With the world and government relationships constantly in flux, this book is already a version of "how it was - as opposed to how it is". Brownlee does an acceptable job of explaining the U.S. position of self interest versus true democracy for the people of Egypt and the goal of the Egyptian autocracy to maintain the status quo. (It appears to this reader that rather than Egypt and the Middle East following the road to democracy, the U.S. itself has decided to lean toward becoming an autocracy).

Brownlee notes that true democracy in any middle Eastern country could very well disrupt the economic and national defense interests of the U.S. and that while our country's leaders talk a good game regarding freedom and human rights their actions do not correspond with their rhetoric. The bottom line in this case, as in most cases, is that every country's interest in achieving their personal strategic and economic goals trump their verbally expressed desire to help their fellow man. The one thing the United States seems to be adept at is throwing money at any problem that arises by calling it foreign aid. For all the money expended over the years, the current situation relative to terrorism and alliances being formed in the Middle East would seem to indicate that the United States has only succeeded in moving foreign terrorist groups into the political mainstream, giving them a "legal" voice and losing much of the intelligence apparatus that had previously been in place, ultimately realizing very little in the area of "return on investment" for funds funneled into Egyptian coffers
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Other books by the same author

Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization
by
Jason Brownlee
Publisher: Cambridge University Press , 2007


The Arab Spring: Pathways of Repression and Reform
by
Jason Brownlee
Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1 edition , 26 April 2015

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