U.S. media is reporting that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that the U.S. “would work with ascendant Islamist parties of the Muslim world.” According to an AP report:
WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the Obama administration would work with ascendant Islamist parties of the Muslim world, answering one of the central U.S. policy questions resulting from the Arab Spring. Addressing the National Democratic Institute, Clinton on Monday said the ouster of Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak made clear that long-term support for democracy outlasts short-term advantages through alliances with authoritarian regimes. Her report card on the Arab Spring comes at a time when the euphoria of the successful revolutions from Egypt to Libya is giving way to the hard and unprecedented work of creating stable democracies. Addressing fears over the rise of Islamist parties, Clinton said the U.S. would judge these groups on whether they respect democracy, women’s rights and other fundamental values.”
A previous post discussed comments by U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) VP William Taylor, the U.S. special coordinator for transitions in the Middle East who said that the U.S. would be “satisfied” if the Muslim Brotherhood wins the Egyptian elections and that he is willing to meet with the Egyptian Brotherhood given the chance. That post also delved into the relationship between USIP, the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood.