Analysis: Foreign Aid Funds Technology to Protect Protesters
Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Doyle McManus argues that as "Congress is getting ready to make deep cuts in federal spending, including foreign aid, one program it ought to spare" is the State Department's funding of Internet and ...
September 19, 2011
Category: Congress, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Protests, Syria, Technology, US foreign policy
Analysis: Focus on “Iran’s Record of Abuse”
Writing in the Huffington Post, Hadi Ghaemi, the Executive Director of the International Campaign for Human Rights, asks for the U.S. to "challenge Iran's record of abuse and to support the Iranian people's aspirations for rule of law, democratic ...
Op-Ed: “A Troop Drawdown That Would Fail Iraq”
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 ...
POMED Notes: Congressional Hearing on U.S. Assistance to the PA
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 ...
September 17, 2011
Category: Committee Meetings, Congressional Hearing Notes (House), Foreign Aid, Palestine, United Nations, US foreign policy, US politics
Feltman Reports on Visit to Libya
After meeting in Tripoli with leaders of the TNC and civil society groups, Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman described the city as "remarkably normal in atmosphere," with businesses open, traffic flowing, and police patrolling the streets. In his ...
September 16, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Human Rights, Libya, Military, Political Islam, Political transition, Terrorism, US foreign policy, Women's Rights
Dep. Secretary Burns Visits Saudi Arabia and UAE
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns is visiting Saudi Arabia and the UAE this week to meet with top officials. After his Tuesday meeting with Assistant Minister of the Interior Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, Burns met with King Abdullah ...
September 15, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UN Security Council, US foreign policy
Iran: Opposition Journalist Faces “Inhumane Treatment”
According to Radio Farda, the family of jailed Iranian journalist Isa Saharkhiz, a member of the central council of the Association for the Defense of Press Freedom, wrote to Iran's judiciary chief to complain that he is being ...
September 15, 2011
Category: Featured, Human Rights, International Law, Iran, Reform, US foreign policy, US politics
Kirk: “Standing for Human Rights” in the Senate
Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) published the first edition of his newsletter entitled "Standing for Human Rights," in which he outlines his efforts, through various programs and legislation, to champion human rights through the United States Senate. Among his initiatives ...
September 15, 2011
Category: Congress, Democracy Promotion, Featured, Freedom, Human Rights, Iran, Iraq, Legislation, sanctions, Syria, US foreign policy, US politics
New Legislation Demands Cooperation From TNC Before Frozen Assests are Released
In the latest legislation introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the Pan Am 103 Accountability Act calls upon President Barack Obama to "continue any investigative activities of any Federal agencies with regard to the bombing of Pan Am flight ...
September 14, 2011
Category: Congress, Democracy Promotion, Featured, Government, Libya, US foreign policy
Rubio: America Must Champion Democracy Abroad
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations delivered a speech Tuesday at the Jesse Helms' Center emphasizing the need for America to "champion the cause of freedom—not only with the power of our example but also ...
September 14, 2011
Category: Bahrain, Congress, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Iran, Libya, Military, Reform, Syria, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: “The Arab Uprisings and the United Nations”
On Tuesday, the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and the National Security Network (NSN) hosted a panel discussion with Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, Geneive Abdo, fellow at the Century Foundation and the National Security Network, and Ted Piccone, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. The event was moderated by Heather Hurlburt, executive director at NSN, with a welcome by Stephen McInerney, executive director ...
September 14, 2011
Category: Bahrain, Egypt, Events, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Iran, Israel, Political transition, Reform, Syria, United Nations, US foreign policy
Analysis: Anti-Democratic Turn in Egypt Threatens U.S. Interests
In a Policy Alert for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Executive Director Robert Satloff argues that the chances that the Egyptian revolution take an "anti-democratic turn" are "frighteningly high," as most recently evidenced by the attacks on ...
September 13, 2011
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Islamist movements, Political Islam, Political transition, US foreign policy
American Foreign Policy Since 9/11, “Lessons Learned”
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 ...
New Middle East Transitions Office Opens at Department of State
The U.S. Department of State opened a new Middle East Transitions (MET) office, which started operation this week. William Taylor, former senior vice president for conflict management at United States Institute of Peace, will spearhead Middle East Transitions, with ...
September 12, 2011
Category: Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Government, Libya, NGOs, Political transition, Tunisia, US foreign policy
Op-Ed: Veto of Palestine Vote at U.N. May Jeopardize U.S.-Saudi Ties
In a New York Times op-ed, Prince Turki al-Faisal warns that if the United States vetoes Palestine's bid for statehood in the United Nations later this month, "the little credibility has in the Arab world" will likely be lost ...
September 12, 2011
Category: Freedom, Government, Palestine, Political transition, Saudi Arabia, US foreign policy, US politics
September 12, 2011
Category: Congress, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Featured, Foreign Aid, Government, Legislation, US foreign policy, US politics
US Condemns Syria Over Killing of Rights Activist
State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland issued a press release stating that the "United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the killing of Syrian human rights activist Ghiyath Mattar while in the custody of Syrian Security Forces." Mr. Matter ...
Under Secretary of State Will Travel to Egypt, Tunisia
The State Department released a statement today detailing plans for Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, María Otero, to travel to Egypt and Tunisia. Otero will be Egypt September 10-12 and in Tunisia from September 13-15. ...
September 9, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Egypt, Featured, Political Parties, Political transition, Tunisia, US foreign policy, US politics