US President Bush lavished praise on President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt on Wednesday, emphasising the country’s role in regional security and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process while publicly avoiding mention of the government’s actions in jailing or exiling opposition leaders and its severe restrictions on opposition political activities.Ending an eight-day trip through West Asia, in which he highlighted democratic reforms as the foundation for peace and security throughout the region, Bush strikingly avoided any direct criticism of Mubarak, an autocratic leader in power since 1981. In the past, Bush had criticised Egypt for its arrests of political dissidents.“I appreciate very much the long and proud tradition that you’ve had for a vibrant civil society,” said Bush, whose joint appearance with the Egyptian leader was unannounced and, according to the White House, had been uncertain until the last minute. Bush’s remarks reflected some of the contradictions evident in the issues he addressed during the trip. He spoke passionately at times about the birth of liberty and justice in countries that restrict them and the role of women in societies that still largely sequester them. And yet he avoided public disputes with monarchic leaders widely accused of limiting freedoms as he sought Arab support for the peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, the war in Iraq, diplomatic efforts to isolate Iran and the strain on the American economy caused by high oil prices.Only three days ago, in the UAE, Bush delivered what his aides described as the keynote address of the trip when he spoke of setbacks in democratic reforms in remarks that his aides said were aimed at Egypt, among others.“You cannot build trust when you hold an election where opposition candidates find themselves harassed or in prison,” he had said. “You cannot expect people to believe in the promise of a better future when they are jailed for peacefully petitioning their government. And you cannot stand up a modern and confident nation when you do not allow people to voice their legitimate criticisms.”Bush has previously criticised Egypt for the arrest of Mubarak’s main opponent in the presidential elections in 2005, Ayman Nour, who Bush last year said was “unjustly imprisoned”. Bush mentioned neither man directly and included only an oblique reference to “strong civic and religious leaders who love their country and are determined to build a democratic future”.“I appreciate the example that your nation is setting,” Bush said, turning to face Mubarak.
