The Middle East and North Africa

Cameron has demonstrated yet again that not only does he have the capacity to surprise but also to take a stand on certain issues that other politicians might try to avoid for fear of offending their peers. He showed this with his speech on multiculturalism in Munich or week or so back and has done so again today by his speech on freedom and democracy in Egypt today. His sudden decision to visit Egypt has shown him as a man of action who is not afraid to go into a country that is still in turmoil in the hope that by being there and saying what he did he will give encouragement to those who are seeking a moderate civilian government in which the extremists, the Muslim Brotherhood whom he rightly refused to meet, do not play a part. Cameron's refusal to meet the extremists shows a consistency with his dismissal of multiculturalism and looks to have been well thought through. Hague's comments on the events in Libya are also consistent with the Cameron position and it is good to see a bit of joined up intelligent government for once. From what Gaddafi's son has said about Hague's comments to him yesterday there is little doubt that what the government will say to countries like Saudi Arabia and Morocco will be consistent with what they have been saying to Egypt.