Ottawa, January 28: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged “across-the-board” reforms in U.S.-backed Arab countries rocked by waves of civil unrest, but he declined Thursday to say whether U.S. interests are at risk in the region.
The defense chief acknowledged the economic, political and social forces behind the wave of street demonstrations and demands for the ouster of authoritarian governments. The United States has complained about human rights and other abuses in Egypt and neighboring Arab nations but maintained close ties nonetheless.
“We encourage reform across the board that address these challenges and look forward to continuing to work with these governments,” Gates said at a news conference with his Canadian counterpart.
Gates did not comment directly on whether he believes the unrest in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen puts U.S. national security interests at risk. All are U.S. allies or partners and receive U.S. aid.
In Egypt on Thursday, protests erupted for a third straight day. Social networking sites were abuzz with talk that Friday’s rallies could be some of the biggest so far calling for the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak after 30 years in power.
Egypt is an important, longtime U.S. ally, with close ties to the U.S. military and intelligence networks. The United States is Egypt’s largest foreign patron, with more than $1.5 billion in aid last year, a legacy of Egypt’s break with Arab resistance to Israel. Egypt was the first Arab nation to recognize Israel more than three decades ago.
Although the United States has complained publicly about Mubarak’s political chokehold and human rights abuses, collapse of his government could jeopardize U.S. goals in the Middle East from defense of Israel to containment of militant Islamic political movements.
Tens of thousands of Yemenis demanded the president step down in nationwide protests Thursday, and vowing to continue until their U.S.-backed government falls.
Yemen is the latest Arab state to be hit by mass anti-government protests, joining Tunisia and Egypt in calls for revolutionary change. The demonstrations pose a new threat to the stability of Yemen, the Arab world’s most impoverished nation, which has become a haven for al-Qaida militants.
“No delays, no delays, the time for departure has come!” shouted protesters, calling for the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled for nearly 32 years. Saleh’s government is riddled with corruption and has little control outside the capital. Its main source of income — oil — could run dry in a decade.
A few hundred pro-government supporters held a counter-protest in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, but they were greatly outnumbered.
–Agencies