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 ...

On Wednesday, the Middle East Institute hosted a discussion on the impact of the elections on the future of Iran's nuclear program, and the outlook for the forthcoming negotiations aimed at de-escalating U.S.-Iranian tensions. The speakers were Seyed Aliakbar Mousavi, a visiting fellow at the University of Maryland and former Member of Parliament in the 6th Parliament of Iran, and Geneive Abdo, the director of the Iran Program at The ...

With Egypt in the midst of a political transition, this is a crucial time to rethink the U.S.'s relationship with Egypt according to Michele Dunne in POMED's latest policy brief. Although the events of the January 2011 revolution and the ensuing months of political transition have shown strained relations between the two nations, dissatisfaction with the relationship is nothing new to either party, thus making a recalibrated approach to Egypt ...

On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council put aside its differences, agreeing on a draft resolution that demands Syria immediately implement Kofi Annan’s proposed six-point plan. The statement from the president, which carries less weight than an official resolution, gave a “veiled warning of future international action.” The Security Council statement urged the Syrian government and opposition to work in good faith with Annan towards a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis and to implement ...

On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs conducted a hearing assessing the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) budget priorities in fiscal year 2013. The witness was the Honorable Rajiv Shah, administrator to USAID. Ilena Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) presided over the committee. For full event notes, continue reading below or click here for the PDF Ilena Ros-Lehtinen opened the hearing, saying that over the last year not much has changed ...

On Tuesday, Russia announced its position supporting Kofi Annan’s proposal, announcing that the documents should be revealed and that Moscow stands ready to head back to the U.N. Security Council. Additionally, France circulated an additional draft statement for the Security Council “deploring the turmoil and backing peace efforts by U.N.-Arab League Envoy Annan.” "The Security Council should support them not as an ultimatum, but as a basis for the continuing efforts ...

Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) remains hesitant that the revolution in Syria is a true democratic movement. While supporting humanitarian aid, Corker is against direct assistance to the Syrian opposition - as he does not think they prove a better alternative to President Bashar al-Assad. "I don't think we know enough about the opposition groups that have become involved or what might happen should Bashar be gone," said Corker. In the briefings Corker ...

The U.N. Human Rights Council released the "Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran." The document highlights the recent trends in the human rights situation in Iran, and though it does not cover all the violations entirely, "it provides a picture of the prevailing situation in that regard." The six recommendations the Rapporteur makes call on the government of Iran to reform ...

Against a backdrop of political upheaval and unrest throughout the Middle East, Qatar has appeared remarkably stable in its internal politics. In contrast to that internal quiet, however, has been an aggressive and changing foreign policy through which Qatar has pursued a new role of power in the region. Since the 1990s, Qatar has been forced to rethink its position in the region due to geopolitical changes. With the ascendancy of ...

Former Ambassador to Bahrain Ronald E. Neumann wrote in the Congress Blog that effective American diplomacy toward Bahrain necessitates blending both interest and principle. According to Neumann, doing so requires “acknowledging that our base is critical, understanding the island’s communal divisions, and recognizing how support for the monarchy coincides with reform.” Neumann, who served as ambassador to Bahrain from 2001 to 2004, writes that Bahrain’s uprising is more complex than “just ...

Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, after presenting a six-point peace plan to Assad, left Damascus for Ankara on Tuesday to meet with a delegation of the Syrian national council (SNC). Annan reported that a response to the six-point proposal is expected from Syrian authorities within the next day. “One I receive their answer we will know how to react,” he said. Annan was seeking an immediate ceasefire in order ...