Egyptians conflicted over US role

Associated Press

CAIRO

One of the insults flung at President Hosni Mubarak by Egyptian protesters seeking his ouster was: “Mubarak, you coward! You American collaborator!”

Hostility toward the United States is widespread among the crowds in Cairo’s streets, who feel Washington’s alliance with Egypt — along with billions of dollars in military aid through the years — has helped Mubarak’s authoritarian regime keep its grip on power for nearly three decades.

But there’s also a yearning for U.S. support.

Among the tens of thousands of Egyptians who have gathered in Cairo’s main square in the past week, there’s a general belief that the administration of President Barack Obama could be a key factor in helping to push Mubarak out.

The demonstrators have a multilayered perception of America, a reflection of the complicated feelings widespread among the Egyptian public, where many often express respect for freedoms they see in the United States but anger at what they see as domineering policies in the Middle East.