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Tuesday, Nov 27, 2012 9:15 PM UTC

With Egypt’s Morsi, US faces a familiar dilemma

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With Egypt's Morsi, US faces a familiar dilemmaFormer Egyptian foreign minister Amr Moussa leads one of many anti-Morsi protest marches heading to Tahrir square Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012. At least a hundred thousand Egyptians have been protesting today in a central square in Cairo, challenging the decision by Egypt's president to grant himself sweeping new powers. The protesters, waving Egyptian flags and chanting slogans against President Mohammed Morsi, joined hundreds of others who had been camping out in the square since Friday, demanding that the decrees be revoked. (AP Photo/Mohammed Abu Zeid) (Credit: AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has been this route before with Egypt. The US is praising Egypt’s leader for championing Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts but is also expressing concern over his commitment to democracy at home.

With options limited, the Obama administration is keeping its faith in President Mohammed Morsi.

Within a week, Morsi has both emerged as a key U.S. partner in fostering Mideast peace and has used his new political capital to assume more power.

His actions are the latest reminder that Washington can’t be sure where its relationship will stand with the Arab world’s most populous country as it transitions from decades of secular autocracy. Morsi’s rapid rise is forcing the U.S. to grapple with difficult questions posed by the Arab Spring.

More Bradley Klapper.

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