On Thursday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a discussion with Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi about her new book, The Golden Cage: Three Brothers, Three Choices, One Destiny about the Iranian revolution and the struggle of activists and the human rights movement. Jessica Matthews, President of the Carnegie Endowment made opening remarks and Karim Sadjadpour moderated the event.
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Andrew J. Tabler, writing for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, debates U.S. policy in response to violence in Syria stating, “it is now clear to me that the problem isn’t a lack of leverage, but the strategy being used.” Tabler asserts that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rules through “ambiguity” and “duplicity”, citing Syria’s policies towards Israel, Lebanon, and nuclear energy as examples. Multilateral pressure has worked in the past according to Tabler and he believes that increased pressure must be leveraged against the Assad regime to facilitate policy reforms. Tabler argues that the U.S. Government can “shine a light” on the regime’s human rights violations by bringing Syria before the U.N. Human Rights Council and working to create a comprehensive sanction plan with the collaboration of European allies. By instituting these policies it will “send a strong message to Assad that his crackdown will cost him, and establish clear boundaries in terms of the scope of U.S. engagement with Syria.”
Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) spoke on the Senate floor on Thursday urging U.S. support for the Syrian uprising. He stated that the Syrian people “want greater political freedom and economic opportunity. They want to be treated with dignity by their government, and they want an end to the culture of corruption and impunity that surrounds the Assad regime.” Lieberman condemned the violent response by the Assad regime “with thugs and militias who have attacked peaceful protesters.” In response to these events, Lieberman urged “the Obama Administration to issue a strong, clear and public warning to President Assad.” He also called for sanctions to be put in place “in concert” with European allies and also called for a special session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva as well as a referral of Assad’s regime to the International Criminal Court.
Sen. Lieberman also urged the U.S. Government to “embrace the Syrian opposition.” Lieberman closed: “We now have the opportunity and the responsibility to stand with the Syrian people as they seek a better future for themselves. I hope that, together with our allies, we will seize this opportunity and stand in solidarity with the courageous people in Syria who are fighting for the fundamental values that our own country was built upon: freedom and opportunity.”
David Schenker and Andrew J. Tabler, writing for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, state that anti-regime protests in Syria are gaining momentum and the spread of such protests to Aleppo poses a “significant challenge to the regime.” The regime has resorted to using plainclothes ‘shabbiha’ to crackdown on protesters and enforce discipline in the military and security forces. Schenker and Tabler call on the U.S. to publicly warn the Syrian regime that it will be held accountable for its violent response to peaceful demonstrations and immediately refer Syria to the UN Human Rights Commission. They both outline, ”unilateral and multilateral measure to impose a price on the regime for its actions.” They call for a suspension of U.S. investment in accordance with the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act and a multilateral sanction regime, coordinated with France, against the regime, including diplomatic isolation. They also call for the White House to target specific members of the regime that bear direct responsibility for violence against protesters.
On Thursday, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing to discuss the current situation in Libya and U.S. involvement. The committee—chaired by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), with ranking member Howard Berman (D-CA) in attendance—, requested the testimony of Deputy Secretary James B. Steinberg.
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On Tuesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at the International Conference on Libya in London. She stated that the United States has been proud to stand with its European, NATO, and Arab allies to respond to the “appeals of the Libyan people and to the Arab League’s call for urgent action.” Sec. Clinton asserted that “NATO has taken command of enforcing the arms embargo and the no-fly zone” and will continue their efforts until Gadhafi “fully complies with the terms of 1973, ceases his attacks on civilians, pulls his troops back from places they have forcibly entered, and allows key services and humanitarian assistance to reach all Libyans.”
The current efforts, according to Clinton, are to increase diplomatic and political pressure in an attempt to further isolate the Gadhafi regime and facilitate Muammar Gadhafi’s swift exit. She stated: “We believe that Libya’s transition should come through a broadly inclusive process that reflects the will and protects the rights of the Libyan people” and that this process would include the Transitional National Council, who she met with earlier in the day, as well as “a broad cross-section of Libya’s civil society.”
On Monday, President Barack Obama gave a speech outlining current and future U.S. policy in Libya and in the region. He began by stating that the U.S. is always reluctant to use force to solve “the world’s many challenges”, however, he stated, “when our interests and values are at stake, we have a responsibility to act.” Beginning with an arms embargo, sanctions, asset freezes, and work at the U.N. Security Council, Obama argued that the U.S. used all diplomatic means in an effort to curb the violence, but Muammar Gadhafi continued to persist and declared to show “no mercy” to the people of Libya.
Rather than letting a massacre occur in Benghazi, he stated that the U.S. and international partners mobilized forces to institute a no-fly zone, attack strategic military sights, and ultimately protect Libyan civilians. President Obama highlighted that in the 1990′s “when people were being brutalized in Bosnia” it took over a year to intervene to protect civilians and in Libya it took only 31 days. NATO will take the lead on the continued military work within Libya, on Wednesday of this week, which Obama asserts demonstrates the fulfillment of his goal to transition the U.S. military out of a leading role quickly. He continued: “The transition to a legitimate government that is responsive to the Libyan people will be a difficult task,“ but stated that it would be up to the U.S. and the international community to assist this transition. In regards to the rest of the region he stated: “There are places, like Egypt, where this change will inspire us and raise our hopes,“ but he also warned that sectarian violence must be averted in the hopes of addressing the political and economic concerns of the Arab World. In closing he stated: “Born, as we are, out of a revolution by those who longed to be free, we welcome the fact that history is on the move in the Middle East and North Africa, and that young people are leading the way.”
On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing on the implications of uprisings in the Middle East has on U.S. policy. The Committee—chaired by Senator John Kerry (D-MA) – with ranking member Senator Dick Lugar (R-IN) in attendance –requested the testimony of William J. Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs.
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The House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee held a budget hearing on Thursday, March 10, 2011 for the administrations FY2012 budget request.Subcommittee Chairwoman, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), chaired the hearing with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testifying before the subcommittee.
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On Wednesday, the Stimson Center hosted a Chairman’s Forum with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) where he discussed pragmatic approaches to national security. The event was moderated by Lincoln P. Bloomfield, Jr, chairman of the Stimson Center’s Board of Directors.
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On Tuesday, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held an open hearing to assess U.S. foreign policy priorities in light of the country’s current economic challenges. The Committee — chaired by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and with Congressman Howard L. Berman (D-CA) in attendance — requested the testimony of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
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Majdoline Hatoum, writing at the Arab Reform Bulletin, discusses the difficult road ahead for Lebanese PM-designate Najib Mikati as he attempts to form a new cabinet strong enough to endure the political turmoil expected to following the release of the UN’s Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s report. Former PM Saad Hariri and the March 14 coalition has labeled Mikati as a tool of Hezbollah, placing Mikati in a difficult position as he attempts to form a national unity government. The coalition has refused to join the cabinet unless Mikati commits to respecting the STL’s findings, which he has thus far refused. General Michel Aoun, Hezbollah’s main Christian ally, is also insisting on choosing a new interior minister, which until now has been the prerogative of President Michel Sleiman. Hatoum notes that if Aoun’s request is met, it could mean a new era for the ministry which has been independent under Interior Minister Ziad Baroud, who is regarded as a champion for civil society and democracy. Hezbollah, which has supported Mikati, has been adamant that it wants the memorandum of understanding signed with the STL revoked. However, Mikati’s views on the tribunal and commitments he has made to Hezbollah remain unclear. Many Lebanese fear that failure to cooperate with the tribunal may lead to economic sanctions, which is especially concerning given the country’s $53 billion debt. Mikati will need to address the country’s economic concerns with a series of reforms; however, as Hatoum states, “passing such reforms requires political stability…which is likely to remain elsuive in light of the deep political polarization in the country.”
Chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) released a statement on Libya earlier this week calling for the Libyan regime to be held accountable for attacks on its citizens, for the UN to revoke Libya’s membership on the Human Rights Council, and for the U.S. and other free democratic nations to impose economic sanctions and freeze the regime’s assets. Ranking member of the committee Howard Berman (D-CA) stated that the Colonel Muammar Gadhafi‘s brutal response to protesters “forfeited whatever shreds of legitimacy” his regime had and called on the international community to consider all measures to end the violence, including the immediate freezing of all assets. He also commended the defection of Libyan diplomats and urged the military leadership to do the same. Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Mike Honda (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Keith Ellison (D-MN)also issued a statement on Thursday condemning the violence in Libya and calling for international action along with the establishment and enforcement of a no-fly zone over the country. They also urged the Libyan military to immediately stop “its unlawful and immoral crackdown against the people of Libya.”
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clintonannounced that the U.S. has placed sanctions on two Iranian officials, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi,the prosecutor general in Tehran, Mohammed Reza Naqdi,and the commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, for perpetrating human rights abuses against Iranian citizens. She stated that it “has been made clear to the world that Iran denies its citizens the same fundamental rights it continues to applaud elsewhere in the Middle East” and called on Iran to free all political prisoners and prosecuted minorities and to uphold its citizens universal rights. Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights Michael Posnerstated that Wednesday’s action “underscores our enduring commitment to support Iranians seeking to exercise their universal rights and expresses our solidarity with victims of torture, persecution and arbitrary detention.”
On Tuesday, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) condemned the use of violence by the Ghadafi regime and called on the UN Security Council to immediately condemn the acts and for the General Assembly to expel Libya from the UN Human Rights Council. He also unveiled a Senate resolution condemning Libyan President Moammar Ghadafi and the regime’s use of violence. The resolution calls for the suspension of arm sales to Libya, urges the UNto suspend Libya’s membership on its Human Rights Council, and calls on the International Criminal Court to investigate whether crimes against humanity have been committed by Ghadafi against the Libyan people.
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) also condemned the use of violence and called for immediate international action. He stated that a four step process should take place: Libya’s senior military commanders should be made aware that their acquiescence may open them to future international war crimes charges; American and international oil companies should immediately cease operations in Libya and the administration should consider re-imposing U.S. sanctions; the U.N. Security Council should condemn violence and explore sanctions and the U.N. should remove Libya from the Human Rights Commission; and for the Arab League and African Union to create a new precedent in response to the crisis. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) also released a joint-statement condemning the violence in Libya and applauding the Libyan officials who have broken with the Ghadafi regime. They also call for a no-fly zone to prevent the regime’s use of air power to attack Libyan civilians, sanctions and asset freezes, an arms embargo and the immediate suspension of Libya from international organizations.
On Tuesday, Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA) introduced H.Res.94, a resolution calling for “an end to violence, arrests, torture, and ill treatment perpetrated against Iranian citizens as well as the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Iran.” The resolution also calls on the Administration to condemn human rights violations in Iran and “support the Iranian people’s endeavors towards democracy” by ending the “selective approach to Iranian opponents who struggle for democracy and human rights” and removing the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran from the State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, as the Iranian government uses it as pretext for cracking down on dissidents and opposition members. It also calls for the President to impose sanctions on Iran as well as on any individual or entity associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and for the President to persuade U.S. allies and other countries to enact appropriate measures preventing Iranian banks and financial institutions involved in nuclear activities and backing terrorist groups from accessing the international monetary system. The resolution has been referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The House Committee on Foreign Affairs held its first Members’ briefing on Tuesday. The briefing focused on the future of Sudan following the completion of referendum elections on secession. To discuss the issues facing the country, the committee – chaired by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and with Congressman Howard L. Berman(D-CA) in attendance – requested the testimony of three individuals: Princeton Lyman, Special Advisor for Sudan, U.S. Department of State; Richard S. Williamson, Partner, Salisbury Strategies LLC and Former Special Envoy to Sudan and Ambassador to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights; and Omer Ismail, Advisor, The Enough Project.
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History – and the grim realities of a bad neighborhood’s pervasive authoritarianism – do not justify optimism about the prospects for democracy in Tunisia, writes Larry Diamond, Director of Stanford University’sCenter on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Yet the third wave of global democratization saw successful democratization in more unlikely circumstances, and it won’t take huge resources for democracy assistance groups to make a difference – if we move quickly.
The Iranian government slashed subsidies for gasoline yesterday according to a report in The New York Times. “After midnight on Sunday, the price of subsidized gasoline jumped to about $1.44 a gallon from about 38 cents a gallon.” The report also states that there was an increase in the presence of security forces in anticipation of any unrest. Tehran Bureau provides reactions from Iranians in Tehran. Muhammad Sahimiexplains that the rise in prices affects more than just fuel: “The price of electricity has tripled from 0.75 cents/KWh to 2.2 cents/KWh. The price of water has similarly increased by a factor of three. The price of natural gas for home heating and cooking has increased by a factor of four, and for vehicle fuel by a factor of ten. The price of flour has increased by a factor of 40.”
Also, eleven members of the Jundallah terrorist group have been executed in Iran. The group has recently claimed responsibility for the bombing of a mosque in the southeastern Iranian city of Chabahar on December 15. According to an Iranian official, the men were executed for “‘carrying out terrorist attacks in the province (Sistan-Baluchestan) during the recent months, fighting with police, and martyring several innocent people.’”
The Brookings Institution held a panel discussion on Thursday titled “Human Rights in Iran.” The discussion was moderated by Kenneth Pollack, Senior Fellow and Director, Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. The panelists were Geneive Abdo, Director of the Iran Program at the Century Foundation, Philo Dibble, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Markus Löning, Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin, and Mojtaba Vahedi, political advisor to former Iranian presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi.
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