The United States is asking overwhelmed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to lift the emergency police powers that have protected his iron rule while focusing behind the scenes on elections later this year that could be a chance to attain a lawful democracy without Mubarak in control, administration officials said.Two American officials supposed the US government would favor that Mubarak not run for re-election in presidential election scheduled for September.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of diplomacy and the difficult situation the Obama administration finds itself in.In public, the administration would say only that voting should be open and fair.
