Egyptian Opposition Group: U.S. Ambassador’s Comments “Blatant Interference”
Egypt's National Association for Change (NAC), a broad coalition of pro-democracy groups led by Mohammed ElBaradei, criticised U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Anne Patterson for her comments regarding the Egyptian Army and the mass opposition protests scheduled for June ...
June 19, 2013
Category: Civil Society, Civil-Military Relations, Congress, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Islam and Democracy, Legislation, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Protests, US foreign policy, US politics
POMED Notes: “Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa Hearing: Elections in Iran: The Regime Cementing its Control”
On Tuesday, June 18, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing titled “Elections in Iran: The Regime Cementing its Control.” Mr. Alireza Nader, Senior International Policy Analyst at RAND Corporation, Dr. Suzanne Maloney, Senior Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, and Mr. Karim Sadjadpour, Senior Associate at the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, testified. The subcommittee’s ...
June 19, 2013
Category: Committee Meetings, Congress, Congressional Hearing Notes (House), Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Elections, Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Israel, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Secularism, Syria, UN Security Council, US foreign policy, US politics, Women, Youth
June 18, 2013
Category: Civil Liberties, Civil-Military Relations, Courts and Judiciary, Diplomacy, Featured, Freedom, Human Rights, Protests, Reform, Social Media, Turkey, Uncategorized, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: “Turkey and the Arab Spring”
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted a panel on Thursday, June 13, 2013 from 3-5pm on Turkey’s role in and response to the Arab Spring protests, political transitions, and revolutions. The panel was hosted by Christian Ostermann, director of the History and Public Policy Program (HAPP) and the director of the European Studies (ES) program at the Wilson Center, and featured Bülent Aras, Chairman of the Turkish Foreign ...
June 17, 2013
Category: Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Economics, Egypt, EU, Event Notes, Gulf, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kurdish Region, Libya, Political transition, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey
Rouhani Calls for “Path of Moderation” in First Press Conference
In his first press conference since Friday's elections, newly elected Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said he would "follow the path of moderation and justice, not extremism," and declared his electoral win the beginning of "a new era." Rouhani
Senior Muslim Brotherhood Member Discusses Egyptian NGO Law
Amr Darrag, Senior Muslim Brotherhood member, professor of engineering at Cairo University, and recently appointed Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, commented on the goals of the controversial proposed NGO law in a ...
June 17, 2013
Category: Civil Liberties, Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Political Islam, US foreign policy
“U.S. Strategy in the Middle East: An Address by Senator John McCain”
At an event hosted by the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution on June 6, 2013 at 2:15pm, Senator John McCain gave his first public remarks on the conflict in Syria and his thoughts on wider Middle East policy for the first time since he visited Syria last month. Brookings Institution Vice President and Director for Foreign Police Martin Indyk provided introductory remarks and Senior Foreign ...
June 7, 2013
Category: al-Qaeda, Civil-Military Relations, Conflict, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Hezbollah, Iran, Islamist movements, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, NATO, Palestine, Political Islam, Political transition, Sectarianism, Secularism, Syria, Turkey, UAE, US foreign policy
Syrian Leadership Condemns AKP’s Handling of Istanbul Protests
The Syrian Foreign Ministry released a report on Monday condemning the Turkish government's response to the protests in Taksim Square. The report criticized "the violence practiced by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against peaceful demonstrators" and called for Syrian nationals ...
June 5, 2013
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Protests, Syria, Turkey, Uncategorized, US foreign policy
June 4, 2013
Category: Civil Liberties, Civil Society, Courts and Judiciary, Diplomacy, Egypt, Featured
U.S. State Dept. Concerned Over Egypt NGO Law
U.S. State Department Spoekswoman Jennifer Psaki expressed the U.S.'s concerns over a new draft of a controversial NGO law in Egypt that was presented by President Mohamad Morsi this week to Egypt's Shura Council. The bill seeks to reform Egypt's ...
May 31, 2013
Category: Civil Liberties, Civil Society, Civil-Military Relations, Courts and Judiciary, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Elections, Featured, Freedom, Human Rights, Muslim Brotherhood, NGOs, Parliament, Political transition, Reform, US foreign policy
Syrian National Council to Boycott Geneva Talks
The Syrian National Council (SNC) announced today that they are boycotting the proposed Geneva peace talks set for mid-June. The opposition has decided to suspend their participation in the peace conference until the international community intervenes to end the ...
Southern Yemenis Demonstrate as National Dialogue Continues
Thousands of Yemenis demonstrated in Aden on Tuesday, calling for the south to regain independence. The protesters were responding to exiled southern leader Ali Salem al-Baid's calls to commemorate his 1994 declaration to break away from the north. Meanwhile, the ...
Syrian Rebel Chief Sets Precondition to Peace Talks
In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry obtained by The Cable, General Salim Idris, commander of the Syrian opposition fighting force, reiterated his request that the United States provide the opposition with weapons and ...
May 23, 2013
Category: Conflict, Diplomacy, Featured, Hezbollah, Jordan, Lebanon, Political transition, Sectarianism, Syria, US foreign policy
Sec. Kerry to Travel to the Middle East
From May 21 to May 27, Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to the Middle East. His visit will begin in Oman, and then he will move to Jordan, Israel, the West Bank. In Jordan, Kerry will ...
Kerry, Lavrov Optimistic About Syria Talks; UN Passes Resolution
Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed optimism Wednesday that the peace talks on the Syrian conflict they're organizing will be successful. After a meeting with Lavrov in Sweden, Kerry said, "Both of ...
May 16, 2013
Category: Conflict, Diplomacy, Featured, Political transition, Syria, United Nations, US foreign policy
U.S., Russia to Sponsor Conference on Syria Conflict
During a visit to Russia last week Secretary of State John Kerry announced that Russia would participate in a conference dedicated to the issue of Syria. Russia is among Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's staunchest international allies and has regularly
POMED Notes: “American Foreign Policy in Retreat? A Discussion with Vali Nasr”
The Brookings Institution held a discussion titled “American Foreign Policy in Retreat? A Discussion with Vali Nasr” to explore the future of American power and foreign policy engagement. Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Vali Nasr contributed thoughts from his new book. Robert Kagan, Brookings Senior Fellow, contributed to the discussion and Martin Indyk, Vice President and Director for Foreign Policy at Brookings, moderated. For full event notes continue reading or click here for ...
Libyan Militias End Gov Siege; Protests Prompt Diplomatic Withdrawal
This weekend saw the end of the nearly two week siege of the foreign and justice ministries by armed militias in Tripoli. The armed groups had besieged the ministries beginning in late April demanding the passage of a ...
May 13, 2013
Category: Conflict, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Featured, Legislation, Libya, Parliament, Political transition, Protests, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: Hearing for the Nominations of Ambassadors to Libya and Chad
On Tuesday, May 7, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing for the nominations of the Honorable Deborah Kay Jones and Ambassador James Knight as ambassadors to Libya and the Republic of Chad, respectively. Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) presided. For full hearing notes, continue reading or click here for a PDF. Senator Menendez reminded the committee of the increasing strategic importance of the Maghreb and Sahel to America’s long-term security interests, as ...
May 7, 2013
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Category: Congress, Congressional Hearing Notes (Senate), Diplomacy, Event Notes, Libya, Political transition, Reform, US foreign policy