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 ...

Rebel leaders believe that the Muammar Gadhafi may have escaped Libya by heading south through the desert borders while negotiations over Bani Walid and Sirte were taking place.  Libyans believe that "last week’s flurry of audio messages and unconfirmed sightings of Gaddafi and his sons may have been a smokescreen to allow his escape." According to Colonel Ahmed Omar Bani, the peace talks, that were aimed at convincing the surrender ...

The Revolutionary Youth Coalitions (RYC) plan to call on the ruling military council to step down at a mass protest planned in Tahrir Square on September 9 in an effort to show their frustration on the difficult road toward a "new Egypt."  The RYC plans to pressure the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) in an effort to decease the number of civilians of being tried in military courts.  Additionally, ...

According to Libyan rebels, 25 doctors are trying to gain entry into Muammar Gadhafi's besieged strongholds, Bani Walid, in an effort to address the escalating humanitarian crisis.  Bani Walid has had no power or water for a week and food has been running low while Gadhafi loyalists have been firing in the streets.  Rebels have surrounded the town and are amping up efforts to negotiate a peaceful surrender.  Rebels have ...

More detainees are joining a hunger strike to protest ongoing trials from the crackdown on the protests by the Shia majority.  The Bahrain Center for Human Rights released a statement highlighting the hunger strike, which now includes 20 doctors who are imprisoned and face anti-state charges linked to the protests against the Sunni dynasty.  The Bahrain Center for Human Rights also reported that at least two other activists, Abdul Jalil al-Singace ...

Rebels reported that members of Gadhafi's family were believed to have fled the town of Bani Walid on Saturday after residents raised rebel flags.  Rebel leaders also reported that loyalist convoys near the town of Tahouna were leaving military bases ahead of an assault of the town.  Some were believed to be controlled by Muammar Gadhafi's son Khamis until he was killed in a rebel ambush nine days ago. The chairman ...

Three reformist political prisoners, Mostafa Tajzadeh, Ghorbanali Behzadannejad and Javad Emam, were granted three-day furloughs in Iran.  Tajzadeh was a senior member of the Islamic Iran Participation Front and was arrested for participating in protests during the 2009 presidential elections.  He was sentenced to six years in prison.  Behzadannejad was sentenced to five years in prison for aiding presidential candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi.  Emam was sentenced to one year in prison for ...

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 ...