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Past Debates: Series 2

  • Tuesday, May 30 2006
    This House believes the family is a major obstacle to reform in the Arab world
    This House believes the family is a major obstacle to reform in the Arab world
    Hayfa Matar, Bahrain Foreign Ministry official FOR
    Ibrahim Al-Khulaifi, Psychologist and expert in family psychology AGAINST
    Mohammad Al Rumaihi, Professor of political sociology, Kuwait University FOR
    Islah Jad, Lecturer on gender issues and politics, BirZeit AGAINST
    MOTION PASSED by 51% to 49%
    Broadcast: 10-11 June, 2006
  • Tuesday, April 25 2006
    This House believes it is time for the Arab League to disband
    This House believes it is time for the Arab League to disband
    Shafeeq Ghabra, Prof. of Political Science, American University of Kuwait FOR
    Hesham Youssef, Chief of the Cabinet, Arab League AGAINST
    Chibli Mallat, Presidential candidate in Lebanon, academic and lawyer FOR
    Azmi Bishara, Israeli-Arab politician AGAINST
    MOTION PASSED by 60% to 40%
    Broadcast: 13-14 May, 2006
  • Thursday, March 30 2006
    Doha Debates Special Event: Dr. ElBaradei
    Doha Debates Special Event: Dr. ElBaradei

    During the third Doha Debates Special in March 2006, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, told the world to 'calm down' in the face of mounting international pressure on Iran.

    In response to questions from Doha's students, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assured the public there is no imminent threat from Tehran. However, he did say that Iran had a 'confidence deficit' and needed to be more transparent and cooperative with the IAEA.

    Broadcast: 15-16 April, 2006
  • Tuesday, March 28 2006
    This House believes that Iran poses the greatest threat to security in the region
    This House believes that Iran poses the greatest threat to security in the region
    Nazenin Ansari, Diplomatic Editor of Kayhan (London) FOR
    Michael Axworthy, Former Iran specialist, British Foreign Office AGAINST
    Mustafa Alani, Senior Advisor, Gulf Research Center in Dubai FOR
    Sadegh Zibakalam, Professor of political science, Tehran University AGAINST
    MOTION REJECTED by 36% to 64%
    Broadcast: 1-2 April, 2006
  • Tuesday, February 28 2006
    Doha Debates Special Event: Extremism
    Doha Debates Special Event: Extremism

    The issue of how to combat extremism and improve relations between the West and Muslim world was the topic of the second Doha Debates Special in February 2006.

    The Special was part of the Doha meeting of the United Nations' Alliance of Civilizations. Four guest speakers, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Professor John Esposito and Diana Buttu, answered questions from the student audience.

    Broadcast: 18-19 March 2006
  • Sunday, February 26 2006
    This House believes that the international community must accept Hamas as a political partner
    This House believes that the international community must accept Hamas as a political partner
    Stanley L. Cohen, American lawyer who defended a senior Hamas official FOR
    Salim Mansur, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Western Ontario AGAINST
    Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou, Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research FOR
    David Frum, Former special assistant to President George W. Bush AGAINST
    MOTION PASSED by 88% to 12%
    Broadcast: 4-5 March, 2006
  • Tuesday, January 31 2006
    This House believes that Arab media needs no lessons in journalism from the West
    This House believes that Arab media needs no lessons in journalism from the West
    Khaled Hroub, Host of a weekly program on Al-Jazeera TV FOR
    Abdallah Schleifer, Washington bureau chief, Al Arabiya AGAINST
    Marc Lynch, Author, Voices of the New Arab Public: Iraq, Al-Jazeera, and Middle East Politics Today FOR
    Mona Eltahawy, Egyptian-born journalist and columnist AGAINST
    MOTION REJECTED by 32% to 68%
    Broadcast: 4-5 February, 2006
  • Wednesday, December 14 2005
    This House believes that all foreign troops should leave Iraq immediately
    This House believes that all foreign troops should leave Iraq immediately
    James Zogby, President, Arab American Institute FOR
    Ali Al-Bayati, Consular general, Iraqi Embassy in London AGAINST
    Reg Keys, Father of a British soldier killed in Iraq FOR
    Raymond Tanter, Fmr senior staff member, US National Security Council AGAINST
    MOTION PASSED by 70% to 30%
    Broadcast: 31 December, 2005 -1 January, 2006
  • Wednesday, November 16 2005
    Doha Debates Special Event: Bill Clinton
    Doha Debates Special Event: Bill Clinton

    Former US President Bill Clinton was the guest for the first Doha Debate Special, which was held in November 2005. The theme of the event was 'the demands of leadership' where President Clinton spoke with the students about his time in the White House.

  • Tuesday, November 15 2005
    This House believes that oil has been more of a curse than a blessing for the Middle East
    This House believes that oil has been more of a curse than a blessing for the Middle East
    Hossein Askari, Iran Professor, George Washington University. FOR
    Nawaf Obaid, Saudi national security consultant AGAINST
    Carole Nakhle, Independent petroleum analyst FOR
    Ramzi Salman, Advisor to Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry AGAINST
    MOTION PASSED by 63% to 37%
    Broadcast: 19-20 November, 2005
  • Wednesday, September 28 2005
    This House believes that Arab governments have failed the Palestinians
    This House believes that Arab governments have failed the Palestinians
    Hussein Ibish, Senior Fellow, American Task Force on Palestine FOR
    Ahmed Maher Al Sayed, Egyptian Foreign Minister 2001-2004 AGAINST
    Ghada Karmi, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter FOR
    Michael Tarazi, Legal advisor to the Palestinian Authority AGAINST
    MOTION PASSED by 72% to 28%
    Broadcast: 1-2 October, 2005