Ex-Military Leaders Advise Against Cuts in Nonmilitary Foreign Policy Budget
On Tuesday, more than 80 retired military officials advised Congress against cutting the nonmilitary foreign policy budget, declaring that it is of “the utmost importance” that “civilian programs have the resources to maintain the hard-fought gains of our military.” The retired officials said in a letter that the State Department and other civilian-led programs are “particularly critical” during this time of withdrawal, as they will take on greater responsibility. The letter ...
March 28, 2012
Category: Civil Society, Congress, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, Legislation, NGOs, US foreign policy
Foreign Affairs: “After the Arab Spring”
Foreign Affairs hosted a debate concerning the status of the region post-revolution featuring Shadi Hamid, Director of Research at the Brookings Doha Center, and Robert Malley, Program Director for Middle East and North Africa at the International Crisis group. The duo discussed the latest developments of the Arab Spring, including possible intervention in Syria, events that may challenge the stability of the so-far stable monarchies, the legitimate fears of minorities ...
March 27, 2012
1 comments
Category: Civil Society, Countries, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Islam and Democracy, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: The Human Rights Crisis in Syria – Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Hearing
On Tuesday, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission held a hearing to examine the systemic and grave human rights abuses by the Syrian government, and the impact of those abuses on the Syrian people. Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) chaired the hearing. Congressman James McGovern (D-MA) and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) gave opening remarks. Panel one featured Ambassador Robert Ford as the witness, and Panel two featured Maria McFarland, deputy Washington ...
March 27, 2012
Category: Committee Meetings, Congressional Hearing Notes (House), Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Syria, UN Human Rights Council, UN Security Council, United Nations, US foreign policy
March 27, 2012
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Gulf, Iraq, Lebanon, Political transition, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Nations, US foreign policy
Middle East Tops Amnesty International’s Execution Report
Amnesty International released (Arabic) its annual report charting the surge in executions carried out internationally in 2011. According to Foreign Policy, a surge in executions can be attributed to the Middle East, which saw a 50% in confirmed executions for the year 2011, bringing the total number to 558. Iraq saw an estimated 68 executions, Saudi realized 82 deaths, and Iran, the top-placer in the report, saw 360. The U.S. ...
March 27, 2012
Category: Countries, Human Rights, Political transition, UN Human Rights Council, US politics
Friedman: “A Festival of Lies”
On Friday, March 24, Thomas Friedman wrote an op-ed in the New York Times that chronicled the relative failure of past and current U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. He cited Victor Davis Hanson’s piece published in the National Review documenting America’s pas policies in Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Egypt, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and opined that “none of them could be said to have worked yet.” “Military Assistance or punitive ...
POMED Notes: “Preparing for Egypt’s Presidential Elections and the Transition to Civilian Rule”
On Monday, the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University co-hosted an event with the Egyptian American Rule of Law Association and the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies titled "Preparing for Egypt's Presidential Elections and the Transition to Civilian Rule." Panelists included Sahar Aziz, Associate Professor of Law at Texas Wesleyan University, Samer Shehata, an Assistant Professor of Arab Politics at Georgetown University, and Michele Dunne, the ...
No Sharia’a Law in the New Tunisian Constitution
A performance by Tunisian Association for Drama Arts was was interrupted when members of the Salafi movement disrupted the cultural events and damaged equipment in the main theater of the city on Bourguiba Avenue. The protests lead by the radicals group gathered thousands of Tunisian who ...
March 26, 2012
Category: Elections, Featured, Islam and Democracy, Legislation, Political transition, Protests, Secularism, Tunisia
Syrian Situation Becoming Further Militarized
Syria’s opposition factions are gathering today in Turkey in an effort to unite before the “Friends of Syria” summit takes place April 2. Internal bickering has shaken the Syrian National Council (SNC), which has seen an increasing amount of defections and criticism for its opaque handling of funds. Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy claims that the Syrian opposition, due to its sectarian diversity, doesn’t “tend ...
BCHR Publishes Post-BICI Report
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) published its own report titled "Post BICI Report" in which it has documented several categories of issues that Bahrain has been facing since the release of the original Bahraini Independent Commission ...
Weekly Wire – March 26
POMED's Weekly Wire for March 26 is now available. This week's edition includes the following top stories: Legislation - Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) signed onto the Bahrain Arms Sale Resolution Committee Hearings - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a nomination hearing for ambassadors to Libya and Tunisia From Washington - Secretary Clinton waives conditions on Egypt’s military assistance From the Middle East - Bahrain’s government and opposition disagree on the progress of reforms In Case You Missed It - ...
POMED Notes: “The Rise of Islamist Parties in the New Middle East”
On Thursday, the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University hosted a discussion entitled ‘The Rise of Islamist Parties in the New Middle East’. The panel featured Dr. Jocelyne Cesari, Director of the Harvard Islam in the West Program and Dr. Nathan Brown, professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Aaron Lobel, President of America Abroad ...
March 25, 2012
Category: Egypt, Event Notes, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Israel, Political Islam, Political transition, Tunisia
Russia Calls for Full Support of Annan’s Solution
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has called for full support of envoy Kofi Annan's peace mission in Syria "on all levels," saying it may be the last chance to avoid a "prolonged and bloody civil war." Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gave ...
Saleh Still Holding on to Power in Yemen
Tens of thousands of protesters filled the streets of Yemen demanding that former president Ali Abdullah Saleh's immunity be stripped and that he be brought to trial for the 2,000 plus deaths that occurred during last year's uprisings. ...
March 24, 2012
Category: Featured, Foreign Aid, Political transition, Protests, Reform, US foreign policy, Yemen
Annan Goes to Moscow, Homs Violence Continues
Syrian peace envoy Kofi Annan arrived in Moscow to gauge how far Russia was willing to push its Syria after joining a U.N. call on regime forces to pull back from protest cities. Annan will meet President Dmitry ...
Fresh Clashes in Bahrain During Protest Rallies
The new clashes erupted on Friday during a series of ten rallies that had been licensed and organized by Al Wefaq. Though most of the protests remained peaceful, the Feb. 14 Youth Coalition protesters broke away from one ...
POMED Notes: “Economics, Youth, and Technology in the ‘Arab Spring’”
On Thursday, the Center for Contemporary Arabic Studies (CCAS) at Georgetown University held its 2012 Annual Symposium, titled “The People Want the Fall of the Regime: The Arab Uprisings and the Future of Arab Politics.” The panel titled “Economics, Youth, and Technology in the ‘Arab Spring’” featured Joel Beinin of Stanford University, Adel Iskandar of Georgetown University, and Marwan M. Kraidy of the University of Pennsylvania and the American University ...
POMED Notes: “Yemen, Syria, and the Gulf States”
On Friday, the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University hosted the second day of its annual symposium, “The People want the fall of the Regime: The Arab Uprisings and the future of Arab Politics.” The second panel discussed “Yemen, Syria, and the Gulf States,” featuring presentations from Stacey Philbrick Yadav, director of the Middle Eastern Studies program at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Bassam Haddad, Director of the ...
March 23, 2012
2 comments
Category: Countries, Event Notes, Gulf, Human Rights, Political transition, POMED, Reform, Syria, US foreign policy, Yemen
POMED Notes: “Tunisia and Egypt”
On Friday, the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University hosted the second day of its annual symposium “The People want the fall of the Regime: The Arab Uprisings and the Future of Arab Politics.” The first panel featured discussed “Tunisia and Egypt” featuring presentations from Eric Gobe from the Centre national de La Recherche Scientifique, Dina Bishara from George Washington University, and Elliot Colla from Georgetown University. Judith ...