he steps down. randi. as you just heard, many people are calling on president obama to take a stronger stance against mubarak. here are why the tensions have the president between a rock and a hard place. the president has strongly supported the mubarak government since he took office three decades ago, and it s been america s most reliable ally in the arab world. suzanne malveaux has more. reporter: the assassination of egyptian president anwar sad at issued in a new era. the u.s. desperate to protect israel and eager to keep its most important arab ally, embraced egypt s new leader, hosni mubarak. that was october 1981. the u.s. has held on to mubarak
people gathered outside the white house and in new york city. the united states has strongly supported the mubarak government since he took office nearly three decades ago. one reason this crisis has been difficult for the obama administration to navigate. the assassination of egyptian president anwar sadat ushered in a new era of u.s. relations with egypt. radical muslims threatened by egypt s peace with israel took out sadat. the u.s. dep prat to protect israel and eager to keep its most important arab ally embraced the new leader hosni mubarak. that was october 1981. the u.s. has held on to mubarak as a critical friend ever since despite his ought crattic rule and documented human rights
in protest, even many centrist governments broke ties with egypt. 2 1/2 years later muslim radicals in the army had their revenge. sadat was assassinated. mubarak was wounded but survived to be sworn in as president. that was october 1981. hosni mubarak has been the egyptian president ever since and until this week never had a vice president. when he came to power, mubarak went on the diplomatic offensive, quickly improving relations with arab neighbors. to consider peace is not something impossible. it s a gift to the people.
radicals who believed sadat had sold out arab interests across the region. in protests many even centrist arab governments broke diplomatic relations with egypt. two and a half years later while president sadat was reviewing a military parade with then vice president hosni mubarak sitting next to him, muslim radicals in the army had their revenge. sadat was assassinated. mubarak was wounded but survived to be sworn in as president. that was october 1981. hosni mubarak has been the egyptian president ever since, and until this week had never had a vice president. when he came to power, egypt was the pariah of the arab world for signing that peace deal with israel. mubarak went on the diplomatic offensive, quickly improving relations with arab neighbors. when you consider peace,
reporter: to understand hosni mubarak, you have to start here with his predecessor, anwar sadat, so in 1979 signed the camp david peace treaty with israel. that handshake on the white house lawn enraged muslim radicals who believed sadat had sold out arab interests across the region. 2 1/2 years later while president sadat was reviewing a military parade with then-vice president hosni mubarak sitting next to him, muslim radicals in the army had had their revenge. sadat was assassinated, mubarak was wounded but survived to be sworn in as president. that was october 1981. hosni mubarak has been the egyptian president ever since and until this week had never had had a vice president. when he came to power, egypt was