But the Western push for reform in this tumultuous region has backfired in the past, strengthening Islamists at the expense of pro-U.S. moderates.
The Egyptian revolt against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule has raised two urgent questions: Will it spread and perhaps destabilize other countries, and will it bring more democracy to the Arab world?
The democracy question is particularly pressing for U.S. allies like Jordan and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, which have long faced pressure from Washington to uphold democratic values.
Even as they loosen the reins a bit more now, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appeared concerned about inadvertently giving a boost to their Islamic rivals.
Abbas feels he was already burned once, when his Fatah movement was trounced by the Islamic militant Hamas in 2006 parliament elections he called under intense U.S. pressure. The following year, Hamas grabbed control of Gaza by force.
In Jordan, Abdullah faces formidable opposition from the Muslim Brotherhood, a pan-Arab movement of Islamic fundamentalists with roots in Egypt, where it has been a key Mubarak opponent. Hamas is the Gaza branch of the movement.
On Tuesday, Abdullah fired his government, bowing to public pressure for reform, including several large demonstrations inspired by events in Egypt as well as Tunisia earlier last month.
The king instructed the new prime minister, Marouf al-Bakhit, to correct mistakes of the past and lead "real political reforms, which must increase popular participation in the decision-making." Outgoing Prime Minister Samir Rifai was blamed for a rise in fuel and food prices and slowed political reforms.
The opposition in Jordan says it doesn't seek regime change, but wants to curb the king's power. Jordan's Constitution gives the monarch exclusive authority to appoint prime ministers, dismiss parliament and rule by decree; the opposition argues that the post of prime minister should go to the elected leader of the parliamentary majority.
Meanwhile, there have been stirrings of discontent among nations in the region that aren't U.S. allies, notably Syria and Sudan.
Syria, like Egypt, is plagued by poverty, unemployment and corruption.
Drawing inspiration from the Internet-savvy Egyptian protesters, an online campaign called for anti-government demonstrations Friday and Saturday in the Syrian capital Damascus.
In Sudan, calls for anti-government protests Thursday were posted on a website. Earlier this week, dozens of university students demonstrated against price hikes, but were quickly arrested.
This article appeared on page A - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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