Michael H. Posner, President of Human Rights First, testified Tuesday before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to be confirmed as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. In his testimony, Posner asserted that the framework put forth by President Obama in his Cairo speech--in which it was asserted that freedom of speech, rule of law, equal administration of justice, transparent justice and freedom were not just ...

The House Appropriations Committee met today to consider the 2009 supplemental bill to provide funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, aid to Pakistan, and other purposes. Chairman David Obey (D-WI) said he was "extremely dubious" that the Obama administration's strategy in Afghanistan would succeed, but that he was willing to give them one year to try it out.For POMED's notes on the hearing, click here.

The editors of the Small Wars Journal blog have a comprehensive roundup of commentary on yesterday's two Senate hearings with General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker.  Included are links to a few dozen articles, analyses, reactions, and live-blogging from the two hearings.  Petraeus and Crocker are now speaking before the House Armed Services Committee, and will appear before the House Committee on Foreign Afffairs this afternoon.  We'll have further details on today's ...

On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing entitled, “Iraq 2012: What Can it Look Like, How do We Get There?” Committee Chairman Senator Joseph R. Biden presided over the hearing and gave opening remarks, in addition to Chairman Senator Dick Lugar's opening remarks. The panel of witnesses included Professor Carole O'Leary, Program Director, Scholar in Residence, Center for Global Peace, American University, Dr. Dawn Brancati, Fellow, Institute ...

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on the International Relations Budget for Fiscal Year 2009. The witness was The Honorable Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State. The hearing was presided over by Acting Chairman Rep. Howard Berman. Secretary Rice was questioned by various members of the committee on a variety of foreign issues. For POMED’s full notes on the hearing, click here.

On Monday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing for appointment of three ambassadors. The ambassadors to be were the Honorable Margaret Scobey for the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Honorable James F. Moriarty for the People's Republic of Bangladesh, and Ms. Deborah K. Jones for the State of Kuwait. For POMED's full notes on the hearing, click here.

On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing entitled, “Afghanistan: A Plan to Turn the Tide?” In Panel I, Ambassador Richard A. Boucher, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, U.S. Department of State and Ambassador David T. Johnson, Assistant Secretary, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S. Department of State testified at the hearing. The second panel’s witnesses were comprised of General James L. ...

On Tuesday, the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing entitled, “Pakistani Elections: Will They Be Free and Fair or Fundamentally Flawed (Part II).” The hearing served as a follow-up to Chairman Tierney’s December 20, 2007 hearing on the Pakistani elections that featured, among others, former Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle. Ambassador Richard A. Boucher, Assistant Secretary of ...

Yesterday the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee held a hearing on U.S. Foreign Assistance aimed to discuss reform on how aid is distributed and the nature of the assistance projects priority should be given to.  Witnesses included  Mary Bush, former Chairman, HELP Commission, Leo Hindrey, former Vice Chairman, HELP Commission, Lael Brainard, Vice President and Director, Global Economy and Development, Brookings Institute, and George ...

Today the Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing entitled, "That which is not obligatory is prohibited: Censorship and Incitement in the Arab World." The hearing focused on the various progress, or lack thereof, of the freedom of the press across the region. Joel Campagna of Committee to Protect Journalists, Richard Eisendorf of Freedom House, and Kenneth Jacobson of the Anti-Defamation ...

On Wednesday, the Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on the future of Pakistan after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto last month. The hearing focused on how the United States should handle relations with the country in the midst of the political turmoil over the February parliamentary elections. C. Christine Fair, Ph.D of RAND Corporation, Ashley J. Tellis, Ph.D. ...

Yesterday, the International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing to investigate if Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s request for an extension of the UN mandate for coalition in forces in Iraq without the approval of the Iraqi Parliament was unconstitutional under the Iraqi Constitution. This is debatable because the Iraqi Constitution says that the Iraqi Parliament must approve all international ...

Joshua Landis provides a transcript of David Lesch's oral testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on the Near East on November 8, 2007. POMED's notes from the hearing were posted last week.

Yesterday the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing entitled “Syria: Options and Implications for Lebanon and the Region." Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) made an opening statement. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) submitted an opening statement to the record.Witnesses were: the Honorable C. David Welch, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, Department of State, Washington, DC; Mr. Robert Malley, Middle East and North Africa Program Director, International ...

On Thursday morning the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing to question Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about the State Department’s performance in Iraq, including fighting corruption and the use of private security companies. Questions focuses on three main topics: corruption in the Iraqi government, problems in the State Department, and the use and oversight of private security companies. Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-CA) made opening remarks. ...

Yesterday, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing featuring testimony from the Honorable Condoleeza Rice on US policy in the Middle East. Chairman Lantos started the hearing by giving an opening statement, which can be viewed here. After, members of the committee were allowed to pose questions to Secretary Rice.For POMED's notes on the hearing, click here.

Yesterday, the House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia held a hearing entitled "Iran Sanctions and Regional Security," featuring testimony from Brooking's Philip Gordon and Ilan Berman of the American Foreign Policy Council. Introductory remarks were made by committee chairman Gary Ackerman (D-NY).Philip Gordon argued that “economic development is a higher priority for the Iranian public” than their country's nuclear program, while Ilan Berman recommended using targeted international ...

This morning the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a markup for several bills including H.R.2332, Syria Accountability & Liberation Act, & H.Res.435, expressing concern for Iran’s threatening behavior in Latin America. Very few committee members commented on either bill. Discussion of H.R.2332 focused mainly on whether it should include an amendment encouraging or requiring dialog with Syrian leaders. Comments about H.Res.435 were in support of the resolution and ...

Yesterday the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight and the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties held a joint hearing entitled “Rendition to Torture: The Case of Maher Arar.” Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) made opening statements.Maher Arar testified via videoconference about what happened ...

Check out POMED's Event Calendar to see a list of events in the D.C. area relevant to democratic reform, U.S. foreign policy, and the Middle East.Tue, Oct. 16, 200717:00 SAIS: The Turkish Elections: A New Momentum Towards the EU? Omer Taspinar and Mark Parris of Brookings and Yasmin Congar of CNN Turk will speak.18:00 Institute for Middle East Studies: The Middle East and the United States: Perception and Misperception. ...