Amid chaos, political turmoil and civil unrest in Egypt, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on the Egyptian government to "engage with the Egyptian people" and "embrace reform to ensure not just its long term stability but also the progress and prosperity that its people deserve."

"We are urging that there be a restraint on the part of the security forces," she told reporters Friday, adding that Egyptian authorities should "allow peaceful protests and reverse the unprecedented steps it has taken to cut off communications."

Speaking to both sides, Clinton also encouraged protestors to refrain from turning to violence as Reuters reported that about 870 people have been wounded in Friday's anti-government protests.

Referring to the country as a "strong partner" of the United States, Clinton said, "We want to continue to partner with the Egyptian government and the Egyptian people," but noted that listening to its constituents is something the American government has raised with Egyptian officials "over many years." 

"The Egyptian government has a real opportunity in the face of this very clear demonstration of opposition to begin a process that will truly respond to the aspirations of the people of Egypt,"Clinton said.

But Clinton's carefully calculated words have political nuance that point to an Obama administration that's not sure which side of this debate it wants to be on.

Mitch Potter of TheStar.com reports:

"[A]s the unrest deepens in Egypt, with more demonstrations besides breaking out in Yemen, so too does Washington’s confusion.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton assessed Egypt as “stable” in an apparent affirmation of support for Mubarek. By Thursday, Obama modulated the message in a YouTube town hall, siding with both sides and imploring against violence.

“The Obama administration is still trying to come up with a coherent policy” to replace decades of over-promising and under-delivering on reforms, said Mohamad Bazzi, senior fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations."

Monsters and Critics' Mike McCarthy notes the "bind" the Obama administration is in "as they try to support the reform movement but without harming ties with a critical ally in the region."

Protestors are seeking to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak who has ruled Egypt for three decades. But Mubarak is viewed by the U.S. "as a critical partner for peace in the Middle East and on other important issues."

GlobalPost.com reports, "In his three decades of rule, Mubarak is credited for leading Egypt through a period of relative peace and stability following four wars with Israel. Mubarak’s police forces crushed an Islamic insurgency in the 1990s, ending most threats to the country’s vital tourism sector. He also honored his predecessor’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel, earning the favor of successive American administrations, and the billions of dollars in U.S. economic and military aid that comes with it."

The U.S. government has tried to stay out of Egyptian affairs in the past, toeing the line on voicing any strong opinions regarding the nation's governance.

In a 2009 interview about Egypt and the Middle East, Clinton was asked how she viewed the future of the presidency in Egypt.

"That’s for the people of Egypt to decide," she said. "That is a very important issue that really is up to Egyptians."

In that same interview she referred to Mubarak and his wife as "friends of my family."

Obama weighed in on Egypt in a YouTube town hall Thursday, but many are critical he has yet to take a stronger stance.

"I’ve always said to [Mubarak] that making sure that they are moving forward on reform – political reform, economic reform – is absolutely critical to the long-term well-being of Egypt,” Obama said. “And you can see these pent-up frustrations that are being displayed on the streets.”

The Christian Science Monitor reports, "Obama prefaced his remarks by noting Egypt’s role as a US ally, and its peace with Israel, but then used the YouTube forum to offer some encouragement to the youth-driven uprising that began this week against Mubarak’s nearly 30 years of rule. He stressed the importance of free speech, including access to social networking tools." 

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also shied away from representing a firm U.S. position leaning toward protestors or Mubarak. He tweeted Friday afternoon, "Very concermed about violence in Egypt - government must respect the rights of the Egyptian people & turn on social networking and Internet."

But there's a reason.

Leslie H. Gelb, a former New York Times columnist and senior government official, wrote on the Daily Beast, "The stakes are sky high. Egypt is the linchpin to peace in the Middle East. The overriding point is that no knowledgeable diplomat, no secret agent or Harvard professor can speak with confidence about where turmoil will lead in poor and repressed countries like Egypt. This White House will have to be forgiven for not knowing whether to ride the tiger or help put him back in a cage—for a brief time at least."