海角大神

The US turned up the pressure on Egypt鈥檚 interim military rulers Friday with a White House statement calling for a speedy transfer to 鈥渏ust and inclusive鈥� civilian rule.

Even as Egyptians prepared for a new show of force by pro-democracy protesters in Cairo鈥檚 Tahrir Square, the US pivoted from its earlier veiled admonitions to the military, instead giving outright support to the latest round of protests.

鈥淭丑别 United States strongly believes that the new Egyptian government must be empowered with real authority immediately,鈥� the White House said.

鈥淢ost importantly,鈥� the statement by press secretary Jay Carney added, 鈥渨e believe that the full transfer of power to a civilian government must take place in a just and inclusive manner that responds to the legitimate aspirations of the Egyptian people, as soon as possible.鈥�

The demand for an inclusive transition appeared to reflect mounting concerns among Egypt鈥檚 secular pro-democracy forces that the military leadership is fashioning a power-sharing arrangement with the country鈥檚 largest civilian political power, the Muslim Brotherhood, to the detriment of secular political parties.

The White House statement came as tens of thousands of protesters gathered Friday in Tahrir Square, the seat of Egypt鈥檚 revolution that in February deposed longtime leader Hosni Mubarak. The protesters want the interim ruling power, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, to make way immediately for a transitional civilian government. But at the same time, the protesters are demanding postponement of elections set to begin Monday.

The elections are supposed to deliver a parliament that will be tasked with writing a new Egyptian constitution. The deeply rooted Muslim Brotherhood is heavily favored to emerge triumphant from the elections as Egypt鈥檚 largest political force. Protesters want more time before elections for other political parties to organize and compete with the Islamists.

Not all Egyptians favor postponing the elections, however, and such a split could augur poorly for the country鈥檚 stability in coming months.

A counterdemonstration in support of Monday鈥檚 elections sprouted Friday outside Egypt鈥檚 Interior Ministry. Demonstrators at that site shouted a claim of representing the 鈥渞eal Egypt,鈥� according to Agence France-Presse.

The new US pressure on Egypt鈥檚 military is not without its potential downsides. The US could find itself alienating a key American ally and guarantor of Egypt鈥檚 stability. And it鈥檚 advocating on behalf of political forces that may be much less favorable to the US and have a more tenuous grasp on the country鈥檚 stability.

The US provides the Egyptian military with more than $1 billion a year in aid and trains many of its officers. The military has long been a pro-American force in a population less disposed to supporting US goals in the region.

Another potential source of tumult is the military鈥檚 appointment Thursday of a former Mubarak-era official, Kamal Ganzouri, as prime minister for an interim civilian cabinet. Mr. Ganzouri is considered a potential presidential candidate, but his association with the Mubarak regime has also led many Egyptians to publicly dismiss him as a 鈥渄inosaur.鈥�

Ganzouri鈥檚 appointment could be good news for Egypt鈥檚 economic prospects, given his past work with international financial institutions. But some cast doubt over whether he will last or indeed ever take office.

鈥淗e appears to be an ideal candidate,鈥� says Said Hirsh, Middle East economist with Capital Economics in Toronto, noting Ganzouri鈥檚 role in improving Egypt鈥檚 relations with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in the 1990s. 鈥淗owever, regardless of his economic credentials, the fact that he is associated with the previous regime means that news of his appointment is unlikely to help calm protests.鈥�

In any case, the appointment is unlikely to help Egypt 鈥渁void a full-blown political and economic crisis,鈥� says Mr. Hirsh, who questions whether a Ganzouri government 鈥渨ill even see the light of day.鈥�

The White House statement Friday reflects gradually increasing pressure on the interim military rulers. That pressure began early this month when Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered a speech to democracy advocates.

鈥淭丑别 truth is that the greatest single source of instability in today鈥檚 Middle East is not the demand for change. It is the refusal to change,鈥� Secretary Clinton said in a Nov. 7 speech to Washington鈥檚 National Democratic Institute.

鈥淚f 鈥� over time 鈥� the most powerful political force in Egypt remains a roomful of unelected officials,鈥� she went on, 鈥渢hey will have planted the seeds for future unrest, and Egyptians will have missed a historic opportunity.鈥澛�