Analyst Notes The New Age of Pan-Arabism
April 22nd, 2011 by Naureen
Writing at Foreign Policy, Parag Khanna notes the new age of Pan-Arabism that is characterized by societies demanding good governance and an inclusive political process. He states that the anti-authoritarian revolutions are “truly borderless” following Al Jazeera’s shaming of Arab autocrats — with the exception of Bahrain — and young activists training together across the region. Khanna also highlights the Arab League’s backing of a no-fly zone in Libya and considerations of peacekeeping forces for Palestine and Lebanon as “examples of a meaningful transnational Arab political sphere coming into being.” Khanna states that “the next great step toward a new Arab renaissance will come through physically overcoming the region’s arbitrary political borders” following the model of the European Union which has moved towards investing in cross-border infrastructure. He states that the Gulf countries could easily finance projects such as the Palestinian Arc project and trans-Arab transport corridors.
Posted in Arab League, Bahrain, Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, EU, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Gulf, Gulf Cooperation Council, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Youth | Comment »
On Bahrain/Gulf Issues, Al Jazeera Goes Quiet
April 15th, 2011 by Alec
Andrew Hammond, writing for Reuters, notes that Al Jazeera’s “pivotal” coverage of uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen, is noticeably absent on the current unrest in Bahrain. Protests in Oman and Saudi Arabia have also gone uncovered by the network. As’ad AbuKhalil of California State University says: “Bahrain does not exist as far as Al Jazeera is concerned, and they have avoided inviting Bahraini or Omani or Saudi critics of those regimes.” AbuKhalil indicated that politics is behind the lack of coverage as Qatar, which headquarters and funds Al Jazeera, may be up for the secretary-general post of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Political analyst Ghanem Nuseibeh noted that Al Jazeera, “went to great lengths to provide non-stop live coverage” of the uprising in Egypt but has not done so in Bahrain. The network maintains that it has “extensively” covered events in Bahrain but that with the current heavy news agenda, editorial priorities are bound to shift based on a variety of factors. Media observers have routinely criticized Al Jazeera in the past over coverage they claim fluctuates on the whims of Qatar’s rulers.
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf Cooperation Council, Journalism, Protests, Qatar, Reform | Comment »
Obama Praises Qatar on Libya/Middle East
April 14th, 2011 by Alec
President Barack Obama praised Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani for Qatar’s role in the international military intervention in Libya: “We would not have been able to shape the kind of broad-based international coalition that includes not only our NATO members and also includes Arab states without the emir’s leadership.” He also thanked the emir for his support of democratic transitions in Tunisia and Egypt. Qatar also hosted a meeting of the International Contact Group on Libya in Doha on Wednesday.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Libya, Qatar, US foreign policy | Comment »
Clinton, Kerry Offer Middle East Policy Remarks at Brookings Conference
April 13th, 2011 by Ali
Tuesday marked the opening of the U.S.-Islamic World Conference hosted by the Brookings Institution, the Qatari Government and the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a speech that emphasized U.S. commitment to cooperating with Middle East countries to achieve shared interests in values. Clinton said the region-wide uprisings have exposed the myth that “Arabs do not share universal human aspirations for freedom, dignity, and opportunity.” The Secretary gave particular attention to women’s rights, which she viewed as important to democratic consolidation. She noted that the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation will provide up to $2 billion to encourage private sector investments to the Middle East and North Africa, and encouraged closer economic integration across the region. She also called upon President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen to resolve the political crisis in his country in a orderly and peaceful manner and condemned the violence of the Syrian government in its crackdown on protests.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) spoke in a panel discussion moderated by Newsweek editor and CNN host Fareed Zakaria. He said that worries over Libya are unjustified given Mummar Gadhafi’s military and economic position. He counseled patience over increased military action, recommending more focus on Egypt’s transition. The Senator also hinted at a renewed push by the Obama administration for the Middle East peace process. He argued that it was counterproductive of the administration to publicly pursue the settlement issue and that a new dialogue should focus on borders.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Human Rights, Israel, Libya, Military, Multilateralism, NATO, Palestine, Protests, Qatar, Reform, US foreign policy, US politics, Women's Rights | Comment »
State Department Officials For Meeting With Contact Group on Libya
April 11th, 2011 by Naureen
On Monday, the State Department announced that Undersecretary for Political Affairs William J. Burns will travel to Doha, Qatar for a meeting of the Contact Group on Libya from April 12th-13th. Burns will be accompanied by Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Phillip H. Gordon and Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffery Feltman.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Freedom, Libya, Protests, Qatar | Comment »
Yemen: Saleh Says Ready For ‘Transfer of Power’
April 11th, 2011 by Alec
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh welcomed efforts from Gulf Arab nations on Monday to mediate the political crisis in the country. Saleh had previously rejected Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) mediation last week citing “interference” in internal Yemeni affairs. As a result of statements made by the Qatar regarding the GCC initiative, Yemen recalled its ambassador from Doha. In a presidential statement, Saleh stated that he had “no reservation against transferring power peacefully and smoothly within the framework of the constitution.” Mahjoob Zweiri, professor of Middle Eastern history at Qatar University said that Saleh’s vague statement is not a clear indication that he is responding positively to the GCC initiative.
Posted in Gulf Cooperation Council, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Yemen | Comment »
Yemen: Gulf States Mediation on Possible Saleh Resignation
April 7th, 2011 by Alec
Arab Gulf states that have been involved in mediating the crisis in Yemen are making a more aggressive push for Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Hamad ibn Jassim Jaber al-Thani spoke on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council in stating that the organization hoped to reach a deal with Saleh to step down soon. The opposition in Yemen has suggested that current Vice President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi lead a caretaker government and also welcomed any attempts to help usher Saleh out of power. General Ali Mohsen and Saleh himself have also reportedly welcomed the GCC’s invitation for an upcoming meeting in Riyadh to discuss further plans. Meanwhile, protests have continued in Yemen’s second largest city, Taiz, where 16 people were killed on Monday.
Posted in Gulf Cooperation Council, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Yemen | Comment »
McCall Returns from Trip to Middle East
March 29th, 2011 by Naureen
Dawn McCall, State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs Coordinator, concluded a trip to the Middle East during which she met with media and telecommunications industry executives and journalists as well as senior Embassy officials to discuss media trends and audience usage patterns in today’s changing media environment. McCall traveled to the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.
Posted in Diplomacy, Iraq, Journalism, Kuwait, Middle Eastern Media, Qatar, UAE | Comment »
Libya: Qatar Recognizes Rebel Government
March 28th, 2011 by Alec
The gulf nation of Qatar recognized the rebel Transitional National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people on Monday. This comes one day after Libyan rebels secured a deal to sell the country’s oil to Qatar, which would then sell it on the broader market. The Gulf Cooperation Council indicated its support for the Qatari position while the country became the first Arab nation to begin patrolling the no-fly zone on Friday.
Posted in Diplomacy, Gulf Cooperation Council, Libya, Military, Qatar | Comment »
Bahrain: Qatar Officially Sends Troops
March 18th, 2011 by Alec
Qatar confirmed on Thursday that it had sent troops as part of the Gulf Cooperation Council force to put down Shi’ite led protests in Bahrain. This will be in addition to the 1,000 Saudi troops and 500 Emirati troops already in the country. Iran has withdrawn its ambassador from Qatar in response. The recent military intervention in Bahrain has been criticized by both US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf Cooperation Council, Military, Protests, Qatar | Comment »
Middle East Monarchies Are Likely to Stay
March 9th, 2011 by Naureen
Shadi Hamid, writing in the Atlantic discusses why monarchies in the Middle East have been able to maintain power where its republic counterparts have not. He states that the old belief that monarchies are more favorable to democratization than republics seems to be changing in light of recent events where republics like Tunisia and Egypt have seen systemic change. Hamid argues that this is because in republics, the person of the president, provides a rallying point for otherwise fractious opposition whereas monarchies can draw upon “greater religious and historical legitimacy, often allowing them to retain some popularity.” He also states that monarchs are able to create the illusion of reform while strengthening their grip on power by allowing its citizens to elect members to parliaments which are essentially powerless. Hamid notes, however, that opposition groups in monarchies “are beginning to shake off their long standing caution” as protesters in Jordan, Bahrain, Morocco, and even Saudi Arabia have begun calling for constitutional monarchy. It is unclear where this will lead, Hamid states, given that monarchs have not historically ceded power willingly. In fact such democratic transitions have taken decades or centuries and were in many cases violent. Thus, Hamid states, the protesters may need to form their own model, but also points to the case of Jordan in 1989 when King Hussein initiated democratic reforms that led to the Muslim Brotherhood leading a coalition government.
Posted in Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia | Comment »
Reform for Gulf Monarchies Will Lead to Family Feud
March 7th, 2011 by Naureen
F. Gregory Gause III, writing in Foreign Policy, discusses the difficulties of the reform process in the Gulf countries given the large number of ruling family members in important government posts. Prior to the uprisings in Bahrain, the prime minister, three out of the four deputy prime ministers, and 10 out of the 23 cabinet ministers were from the al-Khalifa family. Similar proportions of ruling family members can be found in the cabinets of Kuwait, Saudia Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. In Oman, the Sultan holds the portfolios of prime minister, minister of defense, minister of foreign affairs, minister of finance, and governor of the central bank, Gause notes. He states that while the dynastic nature of the Gulf monarchies helped them survive regional political upheavals in the 1950s and 1960s, it constrains them now as concessions to protesters’ demands will require removing family members from power. Gause argues that by proposing reforms Gulf leaders risk inciting internal opposition to their own rule. “It would take a strong figure to bring his family to heel and accept such a reduced political role” which is not the case in either Bahrain and Kuwait where neither King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa nor Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah have a reputation as uncontested leader of his extended family. Thus, for Gulf monarchies, reform will likely come with family feuds.
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, UAE | Comment »
Don’t Forget About Bahrain
February 28th, 2011 by Naureen
Writing at Foreign Policy, Mohammed Ayoob states that while Libya is important, we should not forget about Bahrain where regime change may, in the long run, be an even more momentous event. Bahrain is not only located in a region with around 60 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves and 40 percent of it’s natural gas reserves, it is also a member of the regional security organization, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), whose members share many characteristics of the Bahraini regime. All Gulf monarchies are to varying degrees rentier states whose regimes consider their natural resources family property and use their resources to buy support from “largely politically apathetic subjects.” With the exception of Oman, these regimes draw their legitimacy from Sunni Islam “bestowing upon them a sectarian character, potentially destabilizing for the regimes ” given the substantial Shia populations in these countries.
Ayoob argues that it is unsurprising that the “the first spark of the democratic movement in the Gulf be lit in Bahrain because it is the weakest link in the autocratic chain in that region.” He also states that the regime has mishandled the situation and there by escalated protesters’ demands. Lastly, he notes that if the pro-democracy movement succeeds in Bahrain it will not only have far reaching consequences on the autocratic Arab rulers as well as their external patrons and supporters, but will also tilt the regional balance of power in favor of Iran.
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Sectarianism, UAE | Comment »
Lebanon: Renewed Attempts to Mitigate Tension Amidst Crisis
January 19th, 2011 by Kyle
Following the release of sealed indictments by the United Nations Tribunal and the collapse of the Lebanese Government, Saudi King Abdullah has declared an end to the Saudi-Syrian initiative due to lack of progress. However, the Turkish and Qatari Foreign Ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, respectively, are attempting to mitigate tension by meeting with Hezbollah and other high-ranking officials in the Lebanese Government. Fears of potential Hezbollah actions in response to the indictments and renewed sectarian violence remain rife. The group conducted a show of force that began early Tuesday in which Hezbollah members silenty patrolled the streets of Beirut in black uniforms, causing fear and panic among city residents. The US State Department responded to recent events stating: “We do have ongoing concerns that various elements within Lebanon – both inside Lebanon and outside Lebanon – will continue to try to politicize this process.”
Posted in Civil Society, Diplomacy, Hezbollah, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Lebanon, Political Islam, Political Parties, Protests, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Nations | Comment »
Secretary Clinton’s Upcoming Visit to the Middle East
January 7th, 2011 by Kyle
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will meet with King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Prime Minister Saad Hariri of Lebanon in New York City on Friday. Clinton will then travel to the Middle East from January 8th to January 13th visiting the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar. Mark Toner, acting deputy department spokesman, said the focus of the trip is to, “consult with government officials on a full range of regional and bilateral issues and emphasize the importance of government – civil society engagement.” Clinton will, “engage with civil society and community leaders in each country working to help citizens realize shared aspirations for progress.” The top issues in her agenda will be Middle East peace, Iraq, and Iran and will be addressed at the seventh Forum for the Future in Doha, a meeting of government, civil society, and business leaders from around the region to promote reform in the Middle East.
Update: Senior US State Department Officials gave a background briefing on Clinton’s visit, and answered questions regarding recent political developments in the region. In regards to Tunisia, one official stated the US “expressed our concern about both what is happening with regard to the demonstrations and encouraged the Tunisian Government to ensure that civil liberties are protected, including the freedom to peacefully assemble.” In response to criticism that the Forum for the Future had not produced valuable outputs in past meetings, one official noted, “One of the biggest [outcomes] is the Foundation For The Future, which is based in Jordan and which is an independent NGO that supports civil society development throughout the BMENA region.”
Posted in Civil Society, Diplomacy, Oman, Qatar, Reform, UAE, US foreign policy | Comment »
Qatar: The Middle Path?
December 15th, 2010 by Jason
In a recent article for The Atlantic, Shadi Hamid uses Qatar’s successful World Cup 2022 bid as an avenue to discuss the course the small Gulf country has taken over the last 15 years. “The World Cup is just the latest success in an impressive run for the Qataris, who currently enjoy the world’s highest GDP per capita as well as its fastest growth rates. More importantly, the win is a vindication of Qatar’s odd, and often creative, foreign policy.” Hamid describes Qatari foreign policy as a “middle path” when compared to its other Arab neighbors, due to the country’s ties with both the U.S. and Iran. “Qatar’s independent and assertive policies defy easy characterization within any of the region’s camps,” but parallels can be made with Turkey, which has traditionally close ties to the U.S., but has recently cultivated ties with Syria, Hamas, and the “Arab public.”
Posted in Diplomacy, Qatar, Reform, US foreign policy | Comment »
Transparency International Releases Corruption Rankings
October 26th, 2010 by Evan
Transparency International (TI)
released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index today. In the Middle East, little changed over the past year. Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, Iran and Libya continued to experience dangerous levels of corruption all scoring 2.2 or under on TI’s 10 point scale (10 being “very clean” and 3, “very corrupt”). Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Israel once again led the region in transparency, all scoring above 6.
Posted in Iran, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Qatar, Reform, Sudan, UAE, Yemen | Comment »
POMED Notes: “Major World Powers and the Middle East”
October 27th, 2009 by Jason
The Middle East Policy Council (MEPC) hosted a discussion panel Friday on major world powers and their strategic interests in the Middle East. The panel included Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland and the Brookings Institutions, Ambassador Robert E. Hunter of the RAND Corporation, Mark N. Katz of George Mason University and Ambassador Chas W. Freeman, Jr. of Projects International Incorporated. Thomas R. Mattair, MEPC’s director of research, moderated the event.
To see POMED’s full notes of the event, please click here.
Posted in Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, DC Event Notes, Diplomacy, EU, Gulf, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Iraq, Islamist movements, Israel, Mideast Peace Plan, Military, Multilateralism, Oil, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Taliban, Terrorism, UAE, US foreign policy, US politics | 1 Comment »
Women Complete Leadership Program
September 9th, 2009 by Jason
Young, aspiring women from across the Middle East have just finished a 10-day leadership program in Doha. The National Democratic Institute hosts the Young Women Leader’s Academy every year to provide women “with practical skills and knowledge to help them use the political process to make meaningful improvements in their communities.” The women have now returned home to put their newly-learned skills to the test with internships and projects. After completion, the women will meet one more time for a retreat to discuss and share their experiences.
Posted in Events, NGOs, Qatar, Women | Comment »
Middle East Journal Looks at Political Reform
August 27th, 2009 by Blake
The summer edition of the Middle East Journal includes a series of articles about political reform in the Middle East. Lisa Blaydes and Safinaz El Tarouty consider the role of women as a pivotal demographic in Egypt’s 2005 election. James N. Sater analyzes the relationship between authoritarian rule and parliamentary elections in Morocco, which is a timely piece, as the unofficially royal-backed Authenticity and Modernity Party swept Morocco’s parliamentary elections in June. Similarly, the royal relationship the with political liberalization is surveyed by Mehran Kamrava in the case of Qatar.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Morocco, Qatar, Women | Comment »
