Gates: Egypt, Tunisia Protests A Lesson To Others

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he hopes the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia will prompt other governments in the region to address longstanding political and economic grievances of their people.

The problems of political repression and economic stagnation are common to several Mideast nations. Gates told Pentagon reporters Tuesday that the U.S. has often urged its friends there to address those problems.

Regarding Egypt, Gates repeated the Obama administration call for an orderly transition to a post-Mubarak presidency, one in which the current government keeps its promises of reform made in recent days.