Project on Middle East Democracy

December 2007 Newsletter


Project on Middle East Democracy

December 2007 Newsletter

In This Issue
From the POMED Wire
POMED Updates
A Look at the ADVANCE Democracy Act of 2007
Legislative Update
Quick Links

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From the POMED Wire

Difficulties remain as Lebanon’s political forces struggle to reach agreement on how to amend the constitution to allow consensus candidate General Michel Suleiman to become president, leading to another likely postponement of elections. Josh Landis argues that the U.S. does not have a foreign policy strategy in Lebanon that acknowledges…

Post-Bhutto Pakistan?

Today, in the wake of the Benazir Bhutto contends that to avoid chaos and disaster in Pakistan, the US and other states “must seek policies that quell turmoil and push democracy and stability - even if those policies lead to a less-than-ideal scenario.” A New York Times editorial argues…

Commitment to Afghanistan

Joschka Fisher maintains in today’s Daily Star that, while increasingly difficult, the political situation in Afghanistan is ‘not hopeless’ and calls for a renewed NATO commitment to its mission in the country.

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Dear Friends,

Happy holidays from the Project on Middle East Democracy! I hope you were able to celebrate together with family and friends this holiday season.

On this, the last day of 2007, we want to remind you that today is also your last chance to give a tax deductible donation to POMED this year. Don’t wait any longer - today is the day!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

As you know, December marked POMED’s first end-of-the-year fundraising drive. This holiday season, we’re asking you to partner with us by contributing $25, $50, $100 or more to our work. Every dollar you give goes directly into advocacy, dialogue, and research, all with the objective of increasing US support for authentic, non-violent democratic progress in the Middle East.

Today, we are only $1050 from reaching our goal. With your help, we can still get there by midnight tonight! Can you help us reach that mark?

With limited resources, POMED has already been a tremendous success. This year alone, we:

  • Held conferences in Cairo, Rabat, and Amman, bringing together American and Middle Eastern youth with experts and lawmakers to discuss ways the US can better promote political reform in the region;
  • Hosted a string of events in Washington, sparking dialogue among policymakers, democracy promotion practicioners, human rights activists, and Members of Congress on important issues related to the US role in promoting reform;
  • Produced our Weekly Wire, which tracks news and information about legistlation, committee hearings, and public debate, and is read by hundreds of professionals every Monday morning.

In 2008, we plan to build on that success, providing additional resources for policymakers, increased opportunities for dialogue among experts and activists, and more effective advocacy for important policy initiatives. With your help, we can transform these plans into reality.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Please take a moment right now to consider whether you can contribute a small amount today toward POMED’s work: toward building a more effective US foreign policy and a more free and democratic Middle East. 

Best wishes for the coming year,
Andrew

POMED Updates

POMED wrapped up a busy 2007 with a successful first annual end-of-the-year fundraising drive. For those of you who have already contributed, we can’t thank you enough for your support.

Also this month, we moved our website and blog onto a new server -  you may have noticed a few changes.  In the coming months, we will be continuing to upgrade our website.  If you see any glitches, please let us know!

As Congress wrapped up for the year (see legislative update below), the last action they took was to pass an omnibus spending bill with appropriations for 2008. POMED released a brief report breaking down the State and Foreign Operations portion of the appropriations bill, which was signed into law last Thursday, December 27. 

A Look at the ADVANCE Democracy Act of 2007

 

By Sean Mann, POMED Legislative Assistant

As Congress adjourns for 2007, it is worth looking back at a landmark piece of legislation passed this year with important ramifications for U.S. foreign policy and efforts to promote democracy abroad. The Advance Democractic Values, Address Nondemocratic Countries, and Enhance Democracy Act of 2007 (the ADVANCE Democracy Act) was signed into law on August 3rd, with scant media attention. The act for the first time declares with the force of law that supporting democracy and human rights abroad shall be a fundamental component of U.S. foreign policy.  Originally introduced in 2005 as a standalone bill, sponsored by Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) in the House and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) in the Senate, this legislation  makes several key policy statements and also institutionalizes the support for democracy through a variety of organizational reforms. Ambassador Mark Palmer has been praised by the bill’s Congressional sponsors as having provided impetus for the bill in recommendations outlined in his 2003 book, Breaking the Real Axis of Evil: How to Oust the World’s Last Dictators by 2025.  The original version of the act passed the House during the 109th Congress as part of the State Department Authorization bill but stalled in the Senate.  The ADVANCE Democracy Act was finally passed this summer as part of H.R.1, the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.

The ADVANCE Democracy Act of 2007 states that it is the policy of the U.S. to:

  • Promote freedom and democracy in foreign countries as a fundamental component of United States foreign policy. 
  • Condemn offenses against freedoms and human rights, and to protect rights of association, expression, press, religion, and private property.
  • Commit to the long-term challenge of promoting universal democracy by promoting democratic institutions including an independent judiciary and media, strong legislatures and civil society, transparent governance, civilian control of the military, and institutions that promote the rights of minorities and women.
  • Provide support to pro-democracy individuals and movements in non-democratic countries, as well as to individuals, NGOs, and governments that are willingly undertaking a transition to democracy.

These statements of policy are almost identical to those of the 2005 version, with slight changes putting democracy promotion in the context of “other key foreign policy goals.”

 

In addition, the act makes changes at the Department of State, including:

  • Creating Democracy Liaison Office (DLO) positions assigned to regional diplomacy offices, U.S. missions to INGOs such as the United Nations, and U.S. combatant commands to provide expertise and assist in formulating democracy promotion strategies.  A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report indicates that 12 positions are likely to be created by the State department.
  • Directing Chiefs of Mission in nondemocratic and democratic transition countries to formulate a strategy for democratization, to consult and provide support to democracy activists and movements, to publicly condemn human rights violations, to visit local landmarks associated with nonviolent protest, and to meet with government leaders to discuss human rights and democratization.
  • Establishing a Democracy Fellowship Program to allow State Department officers to work with relevant congressional committees, NGOs and INGOs.  Five fellowships will be available, according to CBO.
  • Enhancing training on protecting human rights and supporting democratization for Foreign Service Officers.
  • Making support for democracy and human rights a criterion for awards, performance pay, and promotions.
  • Establishing an Office for Multilateral Democracy Promotion.

Additional provisions include:

  • Enhancing translation of human rights country reports into local languages.
  • Urging the Community of Democracies to establish a headquarters and formalize its organization.
  • Authorizing $1,000,000 for the International Center for Democratic Transition.
  • Authorizing $14,000,000 for the United Nation’s Democracy Fund.
  • Urging USAID and the Secretary of State to develop guidelines to direct and coordinate U.S. democracy promotion efforts.

The original version of the bill had provided for additional significant changes at the State Department, including the establishment of regional democracy promotion hubs, new Undersecretary and Deputy Assistant Secretary positions, a new office of Democratic Movements and Transitions, and several working groups and advisory boards on democracy promotion, as well as a new position at the National Security Council. 

 

When the bill was first introduced in 2005, the Bush administration praised its intentions but criticized some provisions of the bill, pointing to overlap with existing State department offices and reports on democracy promotion.  Specific concerns were raised regarding the bill’s requirement that all countries be categorized as democratic, partially democratic, or nondemocratic, as this “could constrain the Secretary’s authority to determine appropriate terms and conditions to enable discretionary foreign assistance to best serve our diverse foreign policy objectives.”  At the same time, the State Department began to preemptively institute some changes, adding the word ‘democracy’ to the position of Undersecretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, reviewing U.S. democracy promotion strategies and funding, and creating relevant positions and advisory boards.

 

Accordingly, in place of mandating new facets of bureaucracy, the final legislation acknowledges and commends the recently established advisory committees, websites, and training regimens, and provides additional requirements for continuing these efforts.  The requirement on the explicit categorization of nondemocratic countries, along with another provision directing intelligence agencies to monitor nondemocratic leaders’ financial assets, were both dropped from the final version, though a detailed definition of nondemocratic regimes was retained.  Country by country reports on specific aspects of democracy promotion were also dropped.  In their stead, the annual report on Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record was enhanced in scope and renamed the Annual Report on Advancing Freedom and Democracy.

 

The organizational changes at the State Department, both those recently enacted and those further mandated by the final bill, are potentially key first steps toward  institutionalizing U.S. support for democracy and human rights.  Renewed calls for an overhaul of the U.S. foreign aid system indicate that more changes may follow.  However, implementation could be slowed by shortfalls in State’s budget and personnel, which have prompted widespread calls for increased funding for the department, including an appeal from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

 

For now, the act in no way constrains the administration’s ability to provide economic and military assistance to nondemocratic regimes.  Recent events in Pakistan, Egypt, and elsewhere may challenge this status quo, as will continued debate over proposed arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the other gulf states.

 

As passed, the ADVANCE Democracy Act of 2007 is more modest than the initially proposed version of 2005, but retains much of its original force. The final bill is more limited in its reform of the State Department and somewhat less sweeping in its commitment to democracy promotion.  But the policy statements of the bill provide an important legal basis for a long-term U.S. commitment to democracy and constitute an important corollary and clarification to the “forward strategy of freedom” declared by President Bush. The strategy laid out in the bipartisan ADVANCE Democracy Act emphasizes the primacy of nonviolent, indigenous efforts to build democracy and resist dictatorship, and its implementation will determine the extent to which support for human rights and democratic reform will drive U.S. foreign policy in the years ahead.   

 

Legislative Update

 

December was a busy month for Congress, which struggled to pass an omnibus spending bill that would avoid a presidential veto before adjourning for the year, while also trying to react to developments in Pakistan, Iraq, Lebanon, and elsewhere in the region. 

Fiscal Year 2008 Appropriations and Authorizations

The most significant legislative action this month was the passage of H.R.2764,the Consolidated Appropriations Act, a $555 billion omnibus spending bill that provides funding for all government programs for fiscal year 2008 (other than the Department of Defense, for which an appropriations bill was passed and signed into law in November).  The bill meets the total value of President Bush’s request for all non-military spending, and also includes $70 billion of additional funding for the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The House and Senate passed the omnibus bill before adjourning prior to Christmas, and President Bush signed the bill into law on Wednesday, December 26. 

Division J of the bill contains the State-Foreign Operations appropriation, totaling $32.8 billion, a 4.5% increase over FY07, but $2.2 billion less than the President’s request.

The bill appropriates $3.0 billion in Economic Support Funds, including $363 million for Jordan, $218 million for the West Bank and Gaza, $60 million for democracy promotion efforts in Iran, and $45 million for Lebanon.  $4.58 billion was designated for Foreign Military Financing, including $2.4 billion for Israel, $1.3 billion for Egypt, $300 million for Jordan, $300 million for Pakistan, and $4.6 million for Morocco.  Of these amounts, $100 million to Egypt, $50 million to Pakistan, and $1 million to Morocco is conditioned upon certification of compliance with various political reform benchmarks. For more detail on the State and Foreign Operations portion of the bill, see POMED’s full report

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, H.R.1585, was also passed by the House and Senate this month.  Provisions of interest address Afghanistan’s reconstruction and governance, Iraqi political benchmarks, refugee processing, and U.S.-Iranian relations. The bill also authorizes $75 million in assistance to Pakistan’s Frontier Corps, a provision that has been criticized by some as a misguided attempt to export the ‘Anbar strategy’ to Pakistan.  POMED’s report on the bill is available here.

Pakistan

Several steps were taken this month by Congress in an attempt to address the evolving political crisis in Pakistan, although the House and Senate both adjourned prior to the December 27 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. On December 4, Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) had introduced H.RES.840 calling for the protection of human rights and restoration of rule of law in Pakistan.  Prior to adjourning, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on U.S. Assistance to Pakistan, while the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing entitled Pakistani Elections: Will They be Free and Fair or Fundamentally Flawed?   Neither the House nor the Senate will reconvene until after the currently scheduled date of January 8 for the Pakistani elections, and the Pakistani crisis is sure to be at the top of the agenda in early 2008. 

Iraq

In the final week of the session, a few bills were proposed calling for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, including a pair of amendments to the omnibus spending bill H.R.2764 (described above), S.AMDT.3875 by Sen. Russell D. Feingold (D-WI) and S.AMDT.3875 by Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), as well as stand-alone bill H.RES.911, sponsored by Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA).  None of these bills had sufficient support, and the omnibus bill was approved with $70 billion in funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan without any restrictions regarding withdrawal timetables.

On December 6, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) introduced S.2426, providing for congressional oversight of United States agreements with the Government of Iraq.  On December 18, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), introduced H.CON.RES.272, urging the United States Government to initiate a diplomatic surge to foster security and stability in Iraq and the broader Middle East. The resolution urges the President and Secretary of State to engage Iraq’s neighbors to assist in securing Iraq’s borders and to engage regional stakeholders in an effort to prevent terrorist organizations or elements from de-stabilizing the region.  It also expresses concern for the burgeoning number of Iraqi refugees and declares that the US should engage other countries and international organizations in organizing programs addressing their needs.

Outlook

As 2007 draws to a close, the Middle East remains the focus of U.S. foreign policy for both the Bush administration and U.S. Congress, and several key challenges will need to be addressed in early 2008.  Chief among those are the continuing political crises in both Pakistan and Lebanon, both of which are currently embroiled in turmoil marked by assassinations and political accusations.  In addition, January will see renewed debate over the proposed sale of advanced weapons technology to Saudi Arabia, including Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM).  On December 4, the administration bowed to Congressional demands to delay formal notification of the controversial sale until January 15.  Congress will then have 30 days to approve the transaction or move to block it with a joint resolution of disapproval.  The coming weeks will also see President Bush make the final annual budget request of his tenure, for fiscal year 2009, and it remains to be seen how recent events in the region will be reflected in his budget priorities.