As recent media reports suggest that the Obama administration has made a decision to reduce the number of troops in Iraq, possibly to as few as 3,000. However, administration officials have denied any decision has been made on troop levels in Iraq. In an editorial by senators John McCain(R-AR) , Joseph I. Lieberman (I-CT), and Lindsey O. Graham (R-SC), they argued that "such an approach would disregard the recommendations of our ...

On Wednesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on the issue of U.S. financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority and more broadly, to the United Nations. For full event notes, continue reading. Or, click here for the PDF. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) chaired the committee hearing and opened the hearing with an opening statement. Ros-Lehtinen stated that the purpose of the hearing was to “address the troubling turn of events ...

In James Traub's latest article "Twilight in Manhattan, Dawn in Tripoli" he reflects on the evolution of American foreign policy in the Middle East from 9/11 onward. Traub states that the United States has learned many lessons since the initial days of invading Afghanistan and Iraq and he reminds his audience that "one thing we have learned is that no matter how bad things are, they can always get worse."With this ...

John Limbert argues that Robert Ford, U.S. ambassador to Syria, has "shown bravery, tact, and creativity in finding ways to bear witness to the protests and massacres occurring in that country over the course of this year." If the Senate does not renew the ambassador's appointment, Limbert emphasizes that "Congress would be administering a massive self-inflicted wound to U.S. foreign policy." Limbert argues that Ford's "clear-eyed diplomacy" is what should be expected of ...

On Monday, the following Republican Presidential candidates responded to recent developments in Libya, including the rebel seizure of Tripoli. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: "It is my hope that Libya will now move toward a representative form of government that supports freedom, human rights, and the rule of law." Texas Gov. Rick Perry: "The crumbling of Muammar Ghadafi's reign, a violent, repressive dictatorship with a history of terrorism, is cause for cautious celebration. ...

Yesterday, the USAID director in Egypt abruptly and unexpectedly resigned and flew back to Washington, D.C. Reportedly, the director quit after less than a year on the job amid an ongoing dispute between "two longtime allies over American funding for prodemocracy groups." Obama's administration chastised Egyptian leaders for promoting anti-American sentiment in the months following the revolution. Jim Bever resigned the following day. Youth groups in Egypt are growing increasingly impatient over ...

The State Department's International Religious Freedom in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor awarded a $200,000 grant to the Middle East Media Research Institute for their project dedicated to documenting anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial and glorification in the Middle East.  Additionally, the grant will allow for the expansion of MEMRI's ability to monitor the media, translate material into various language, as well as providing an analysis on the topic. ...

Senator John Kerry (D-MA) of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was appointed to the newly created "supercommittee" (Joint Select Committee) dedicated to slashing more than $1.5  trillion in expenditures. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Max Baucus (D-MT) also joined the 12-member committee which must make cuts by Thanksgiving. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) will also select two panelists and a co-chair to accompany Murray. Minority leaders Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell will select ...

According to U.S. and Bahraini officials, both countries renewed a defense pact in 2002 that allows the U.S. to access bases in Bahrain until 2016. Had this early renewal not occurred, the pact would run out in October 2011. Bahrain is currently, the home for the U.S. Fifth Fleet and the defense pact allows allows the U.S. to "preposition its military equipment."  Additionally, it allows for consultations if security crises ...

U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said that Italy's decision to recall its ambassador from Damascus will "help increase international isolation of the bloodthirsty Syrian regime."  Ros-Lehtinen said that rather than seeking confirmation of Robert Ford's position as ambassador to Syria, the Obama Administration should "immediately implement the full range of sanctions under existing U.S. law, including by recalling our ambassador." Additionally, Ros-Lehtinen with Representative ...

On Tuesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a nomination hearing to confirm Ambassador Norman L. Eisen to the Czech Republic, Ambassador Robert Stephen Ford to the Syrian Arab Republic, and Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone Jr. to the Republic of Turkey. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) presided over the first panel hearing alongside Ranking Member SenatorRichard Lugar (R-IN) which featured Ambassadors Eisen and Ricciardone. Senator Robert P. Casey (D-PA) presided over the second panel featuring Ambassador ...

On Thursday, Foreign Policy and the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) co-hosted a discussion on foreign assistance in the context of the Arab Spring. A keynote address was given by Tamara Cofman Wittes, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Following her address was a panel discussion with John Norris, Executive Director of the Sustainable Security and Peacebuilding Initiative, Center for American Progress; Ehaab Abdou, Co-founder, Nahdet El ...