This is the second in a series of interviews with the foreignpolicyblogs.com writers. All of our writers are extremely talented professionals in their area of expertise. In this interview series, we will get behind the scenes to better understand where they're coming from, why their topic is important, and how they perceive their individual posts coming together to depict a larger view of their subject area.

Today we speak with Matthew Axelrod, Joseph Simons and Nathan Field from the Egypt blog.

FPA: What's the best thing about living in Cairo?

Matthew Axelrod: Its energy. Cairo, not New York, is the city that never sleeps. The city obeys the desert's cycles, which means hot days and cool nights. So the shops stay open late and it's usual to mingle with whole families in stores and cafes until the early morning hours. The city has great people watching and loads of excitement.

Joseph Simons: It's the people in Cairo that make the city what it is. Of course there is a great deal of political, cultural, and social history here but that all really comes alive through the Cairenes themselves. Egyptian society is very hospitable, and except for in some touristy areas where many people are just out to make a gineh, Cairenes are typically very generous, interested, and always willing to help. It's not uncommon here for a baker to give you a free cookie, a taxi driver to engage you in a political or cultural discussion comparing the US to Egypt, or to see a young man help an older woman cross the street.

FPA: And the worst thing?

MA: Its energy. The Cairo bustle can exhaust anyone, and there's little escape from careening cars and flying bikes. You have to keep your wits about you at all times.

JS: The constant noise can get to a person, and there are few places one can escape from it. I personally really dislike when minibuses speed down my quite side-street and beep their horns directly in my ear right as they are passing me. It doesn't make for a good environment to study vocabulary.

FPA: How has the election of President Obama impacted U.S./Egypt relations?

JS: Egypt, like the rest of the region, is waiting to see if President Obama's Middle East foreign policy will differ from that of the Bush administration. Most people here strongly disliked President Bush and at the very least have hopes for President Obama not just because of his stated policy differences, such as setting a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, but also because of his Muslim and African roots with which many Egyptians identify.

MA: Barack Obama has received a warm welcome and the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, his silence during Israeli attacks on Gaza confirmed the widespread belief in Egypt that his Administration will not cease to support what many Egyptians regard as Israeli atrocities against Palestinians.

JS: The government of course will continue to deal with the US and may find an easier time doing so with the Obama administration as the President's policy towards pushing democratization in Egypt has yet to become clear. We blogged about how the release of Ayman Nour was said by many to be a type of “olive branch” towards the new administration and an affront to the old one. It is also important to note that US non-military aid to Egypt has been slightly cut this year.

FPA: How has Egypt's role as a regional leader changed over the past few years?

MA: Egypt's role as regional leader has declined but not diminished. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have all increased their diplomatic, but none have attained, or perhaps desire to attain, the title of the Middle East's chief representative on the global stage. Egypt has so fair failed in its attempts to reconcile Palestinian factions and secure the release of Israeli prisoner Gilad Shalit, but its efforts continue. At the moment, it seems to be the only mediator willing or capable of brokering dialogue between these groups.

JS: Egypt's most recent efforts at Palestinian-Palestinian and Israeli-Palestinian mediation are certainly an indication that it wishes to remain on the political scene. Though Egypt has historically played a leading role in Middle East affairs, other states such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have begun to play more prominent roles: the Gulf states with their economic power and Turkey with its “East meets West” qualities. It remains to be seen what influence the possibility of increased US-Syrian relations might have on Egypt's standing. Some say that it is Syria who holds the key to a comprehensive Middle East peace, not to mention stabilization in Lebanon. So although Egypt wants to remain a leader in the region and especially in the eyes of the US, its influence has waned. But it's still certainly a main element of the equation.

FPA: Egypt has historically been in an awkward position, holding normalized relations with Israel while participating in the Arab League. As Arab-Israeli relations deteriorate, how do you see Egypt responding?

MA: Egypt is responding by acting in its interests as perceived by the ruling National Democratic Party in Egypt. Its two primary objectives are to prevent Hamas from providing either a viable model for or support to opposition forces inside Egypt, and to restrict the possibility that Egypt would have to accept responsibility for Gaza. In these two objectives Egypt faces little objection from other Arab governments, many of whom share Egypt's fear of domestic opposition forces. On the other hand, Arab citizens, Egypt's included, object to Egypt's disallowing humanitarian aid into Gaza through its shared border and criticize the Egyptian government for complicity in Israeli atrocities against Palestinians. While Egyptian public opinion matters little in whether Egypt's ruling party will maintain power in Egypt, popular resentment creates the kind of atmosphere that threatens Egypt's tourist industry, which is of vital significance for Egypt's economy.

FPA: How did the tight government controls on free speech effect coverage of the recent bombing in Cairo?

Nathan Field: I think the extent to which Egypt doesn't have free speech is exaggerated. Newspapers such as Al-Dostor say almost everything you could possibly about the government on a daily basis, and are widely available on every corner. Ayman Nour even wrote a regular column for Al-Dostor while he was in jail. Is it totally free in that you can say anything you possibly want with no repercussions? No. But there are extremely strong criticisms of the government on a daily basis in most newspapers. Organizing people around ideas is where the line is crossed.

JS: Government controls on free speech do not play as large a role in incidents like these because events such as terrorist attacks can actually be beneficial to the government by providing it with justifications for keeping the Emergency Law in place or manipulating it into the proposed anti-terrorism law.

Also, the internet blogosphere, Facebook, and Twitter, as much as their importance is sometimes overplayed in Western media, are crucial in spreading information and were so after the bombing. Although this type of media only reaches a specific segment of Egyptian society which is often already abreast of these political issues and outspoken about them, these mediums provide a way around what is sometimes a censored and sluggish media apparatus.

FPA: How does Ayman Nour's release impact the Egyptian political situation?

MA: Too early to tell. Although I often believe that in America we tend to overestimate our own importance when analyzing the actions of other countries, I do think that the timing of Ayman Nour's release, which comes after the end of the Bush Administration and prior to a possible visit to Cairo by President Obama and to Washington by President Mubarak, is a clear signal that Egypt is open to a more amicable relationship with the new American administration.

NF: Probably not very much, as he was due to be released from prison anyway in the near future. Also, Nour doesn't have a huge mass following on his own right nor is he a member of a well entrenched political movement such as the Brotherhood.

JS: I agree with Matt; it's too early to tell. The Al-Ghad party, which Nour previously headed, has faced some rough times recently. In addition, although Nour's symbolism is powerful, translating this energy into real political change is another matter. As we have noted in our blog posts, the timing of Nour's release was significant, but keeping the momentum going in Egypt is tough. The National Democratic Party's political hegemony is so entrenched that even high profile events like this get easily mired in country's political stagnation.

FPA: What's something important that most Americans don't know about Egypt?

JS: That Egyptians are interested. Despite many negative conceptions about the US on political, cultural, and social levels, Egyptians want to know what Americans think about their country, about Arabs and Muslims, and about the Middle East in general.

MA: Most Americans may not realize that a strong Egyptian government, viewed as independent and credible by the Egyptian people, is the best possible ally for the United States. That government will be able to make difficult decisions that support shared US-Egyptian interests even in the face of domestic criticism (like making peace with Israel in 1979), and will be able to advise the US and even stand against it when it makes poor foreign policy decisions (like invading Iraq in 2003). In that respect, the strategic alliance will be a source of strength for both countries.