The U.S. said Saturday that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak needed to take concrete action to achieve “real reform,” and soon after he named his intelligence chief — well respected by American officials — as vice president.

Omar Suleiman, whose appointment was announced by state television in Egypt, has traveled to Washington many times and is known well by U.S. officials.

The Egyptian government can’t reshuffle the deck and then stand pat,” Crowley said on his Twitter account. “President Mubarak’s words pledging reform must be followed by action.”