US INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM POLICY FROM AN EGYPTIAN PERSPECTIVE

Repression and exclusion only lead to radicalization and terrorism. Similarly, democracy and freedom, combined with effective rule of law, contribute to the moderation of all religious and political groups by allowing a free marketplace of ideas where every citizen is equally capable of presenting his/her views in the public square. In such a diverse landscape, the United States should not take the side of any party over another, and should acknowledge the sovereignty of the new Egypt and respect its public will, as well as its religious and cultural character. There is no greater threat to religious freedom than authoritarianism, whether secular or theocratic.