The ‘Third Current’ of the Syrian Uprising
On Monday, Syrian state TV reported nine deaths and 100 wounded when a bomb exploded in the Syrian town of Idlib. State TV blamed the violence on opposition suicide bombers, although opposition forces denied involvement. The International Crisis ...
April 30, 2012
Category: Congress, Featured, Syria, UN Security Council, United Nations, US foreign policy
Saudi Recalls Ambassador to Egypt
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Egypt and closed its consulates there. The move comes in response to protests in front of the Saudi embassy in Cairo demanding the release of Egyptian lawyer and activist Ahmed al-Gizawi. Gizawi was arrested on April 17 in Saudi while on umra, an Islamic pilgrimage. Initially, Gizawi was reportedly arrested for defaming the king, due to a lawsuit he had brought in ...
Yemen’s Ongoing Political Woes: Hadi vs. Saleh
President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is still struggling to assert power over former President Ali Abdullah Saleh's loyalists. The BBC reported that Gen Tariq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, nephew of the former president and head of the Presidential Guard, had finally ...
Former Head of Israeli Intelligence Service Slams Israel’s Leadership
Recently retired Yuval Diskin, former head of Israeli intelligence service Shin Bet, called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak's leadership "messianic" and accused them of promoting a war on Iran. According to Diskin, attacking Iran ...
Waves of Demonstrations Ahead of Vote in Algeria
On Sunday, a young unemployed Algerian set himself fire (French) sparking violent riots in the neighborhood of Villa Moussa in Alger. The young man set himself fire after policemen confiscated packets of cigarettes that he was selling. Inhabitants rebelled against the security forces, erected barricades, attacked the local ...
Weekly Wire – April 30
POMED's Weekly Wire for April 30 is now available. In this week's edition, we cover the following highlights: Legislation - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee amended and passed a bill calling for support to the Syrian opposition Committee Hearings - The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on Syria From Washington - President Obama created the Atrocities Prevention Board From the Middle East - Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja’s whereabouts remain unknown as his appeals trial ...
HRW Exposes Ongoing Police Brutality in Bahrain
Following a five-day visit to the country, Human Rights Watch reports, "Bahrain’s police are beating and torturing detainees, including minors, despite public commitments to end torture and police impunity." According to Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director of HRW, “Bahrain has ...
Iraq: Concerns Raised About Maliki’s Governance
Top Iraqi politicians, unhappy with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's style of governing, held a meeting in Arbil, the capital of Kurdistan in northern Iraq, to call for greater democracy in Iraq. The Iraqi leaders called "to put in place mechanisms ...
April 28, 2012
Category: Democracy Promotion, Featured, Iraq, Kurdish Region, Sectarianism, US foreign policy
Reports of 8 NGOs Banned in Egypt Disputed
In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland denied that eight American NGOs had been banned from conducting business in Egypt by the Ministry of Insurance and Social Affairs. The organizations reportedly (Arabic) included the Carter Center, Seeds of Peace, and Coptic Orphans. The news was originally announced on Monday according to Egyptian state media organization MENA. The news could not be confirmed by the eight organizations, and spokesmen from the ...
Egypt’s Presidential List Finalized
Egypt’s Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission (SPEC) announced on Thursday its final list of candidates whom are eligible to run in the presidential elections. Thirteen candidates were accepted, including Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi, former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, former Arab League head Amr Moussa, and moderate Islamist Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh. Ahmed Shafiq had initially been disqualified after the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) ratified a law that ...
April 27, 2012
Category: Egypt, Elections, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Political transition
Obama ‘s “Board Against Mass Murders” Under Debate
Writing for Foreign Policy, Christian Caryl addressed President Barack Obama decision on Monday to create a body called the Atrocities Prevention Board (APB). The APB directly informs the highest levels of administration - including the White House - on mass human rights violations. The controversy
Should Assad Go? Congress is Divided
Republicans cannot decide on whether Bashar al-Assad should go, says Josh Rogin. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Casey’s (D-PA) resolution condemning the violence in Syria revealed divisions in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sen. Bob Corker ...
New POMED Policy Brief: The Rise of Islamist Actors: Formulating a Strategy for Sustained Engagement
In POMED’s latest policy brief, Quinn Mecham, Assistant Professor at Middlebury College, details the success of Islamist groups in the Middle East over the last year and how the U.S. should engage with these groups. In the past six months, Islamist parties or blocs have won elections in multiple countries in the Arab world and may also yet emerge as dominant political actors in other countries affected by popular uprisings. While ...
April 27, 2012
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Category: Elections, Hezbollah, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, Policy Briefs, Political Islam, Political transition, US foreign policy, US politics
Third Jordanian PM Resigns Amid Arab Spring
Foreign Policy reported today that Jordan’s Prime Minister Awn al-Khaswaneh has submitted his resignation papers after less that a year in office. Reportedly, al-Khaswaneh’s actions come as a result of the refusal of the Royal Court to implement meaningful reforms, the last of which is the controversial draft law introduced last month. Al-Khaswaneh’s resignation highlights the potential for instability. Al-Khaswaneh, 62, an International Court of Justice judge, formed his cabinet ...
POMED Notes: Confronting Damascus: U.S. Policy Toward the Evolving Situation in Syria, Part II
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs conducted a hearing on examining U.S. response to the evolving crisis in Syria. The witness were Marc Lynch, a professor at George Washington University, Andrew Tabler, a next generation fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and Mara Karlin, instructor in strategic studies at Johns Hopkins University. Steve Chabot (R-OH) presided over the committee. For full event notes, ...
April 26, 2012
Category: Congress, Congressional Hearing Notes (House), Event Notes, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Protests, Syria, US foreign policy
Algerian Islamists Confident to Win Seats at the Parliament Elections
On Tuesday, the Algerian Green Alliance , (AAV) expressed (French) confidence in obtaining a significant number of seats in the next Assembly after the legislative elections due to May 10. The AAV, is the movement including three Islamists parties, the Society for peace movement (MSP), El Islah ...
