A year after the May 2005 election, the crisis took a different turn. The ruling government appointed a new mayor and council members for the capital city administration. They replaced the elected representatives who are languishing in prison. Some elected legislative members of the opposition party, who were not arrested, were coerced to join the Parliament, in an attempt to split CUDP and give misleading image of the opposition's participation. CUDP formed an international leadership in exile. It also joined alliance with several opposition groups, some of whom have picked up arms against the regime.

Dr. Meqdes thinks that the US Government has acted in an inconsistent manner in attempting to resolve the impasse. Although the U.S. called for peaceful solution to the crisis, it has not exerted enough pressure on the Ethiopian Government to meet the appeal it issued jointly with European Union. For many Ethiopians it seems that the US has put aside its democratic principles and seeks closer ties with the autocratic Government of Ethiopia. Dr. Meqdes believes promotion of democracy in Ethiopia has been limited and weakened by U.S. security interests in the Horn of Africa. The U.S. Administration has employed lenient policies on democracy promotion not to disappoint its Horn of Africa main ally in the war against terrorism - the main imperative of U.S. foreign policy post 9/11.

Dr. Meqdes would like Ethiopia to remain an ally. But, she does not want to see the United States security interest in the horn of Africa trump its stated commitment in supporting liberty and democracy. President Bush has tied the promotion of democracy to U.S. national security interests and indicated that the U.S. would not pay for stability at the price of liberty and democracy. It is her wish to see the United States stand with the people of Ethiopia and support free press, an independent judiciary, a sound financial system, strong labor unions, as well as a vibrant opposition parties, things that Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice calls the “essential components of decent society”.