All Policy Analysis by David Schenker

It is important -- for both the future of the bilateral relationship and the economic and political success of Egypt -- that the legal process surrounding Mubarak's trial is transparent, credible, and not driven by mob justice.

Given Egypt's fluid post-revolutionary environment, Washington must be judicious as to when and how it attempts to exert influence on the domestic political scene.

Despite devoting more than thirty years and $50 billion to secure the peace, Washington now finds itself with precious little influence in Egypt.

There are plenty of policies that the United States could pursue, short of dropping bombs on Damascus, to hasten the Asad regime's fall.

Washington has several policy options short of military action to torque the pressure on the Syrian regime and to help the Syrians themselves topple the dictatorship.

Although the recent storming of the U.S. embassy in Syria ended without bloodshed, American personnel may not be so lucky in the future.

The sooner the governing military authorities understand that Egypt needs more security, not more money, the better the chance that the country will be able to reverse the current dynamic and start moving toward a more prosperous future.