The Decline of USAID
November 19th, 2010 by Evan
Jerry Hyman, President of the Hills Program on Governance at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, recently published a new article describing the decline of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) over the past four administrations. Hyman describes the fundamental tension between foreign policy and development policy and how USAID has lost much of its independence, especially since development was enshrined as a pillar of U.S. national security policy during the second Bush Administration.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Egypt: U.S. “Has More to Gain” by Supporting Democracy
November 19th, 2010 by Anna
At World Politics Review, former Wall Street Journal foreign correspondent James Dorsey contends that it is in Washington’s long-term interests to promote democratic reform in Egypt, rather than “turn a blind eye to flagrant human-rights violations and measures that stymie democratic development.” He highlights the Egyptian regime’s “repression of the opposition, intimidation and control of the media, and electoral restrictions” all but ensure that the National Democratic Party (NDP) will remain in power. Dorsey calls fear that democracy promotion efforts would benefit Egypt’s Islamists “exaggerated,” adding that the Obama administration could shape the debate in Egypt prior to the parliamentary elections by publicly focusing on the matter. He concludes: “[a]ll in all, the United States has more to gain by nudging the Egyptian and Arab debate toward an embrace of democracy and human rights — and more to lose by maintaining a policy that so far has primarily identified Washington with repressive, corrupt regimes, significantly tarnishing its image.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Elections, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Hamid and Gause Debate Democracy in the Muslim World
November 19th, 2010 by Evan
Shadi Hamid, Director of Research at the Brookings Doha Center and Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, and
Gregory Gause, Professor of Political Science at the University of Vermont, recently participated in video debate on democracy in the Muslim world. Over the course of the conversation, Hamid and Gause discuss whether democracy in the Middle East is in Washington’s interests, what Islamists would do if they came to power, and the durability of authoritarian rule across the Arab world. View the full discussion
here.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Foreign Aid, Islam and Democracy | Comment »
Yemen: The “Closing Window of Opportunity”
November 16th, 2010 by Jason
Marisa L. Porges writes that there “remains a small but rapidly closing window of opportunity to rescue Yemen and, in the process, address pressing security concerns.” Noting the various economic and environmental challenges the country faces, including running out of water and oil, Porges says “[w]hat makes this dire situation all the more tragic is that Yemen was lauded as a model emerging democracy only a few years ago.” Pointing to a National Democratic Institute (NDI) report that called Yemen’s elections in 2006 “not a typical Middle Eastern ’showpiece,’” she argues that Yemen has a diverse political culture that has been “stalled” since 2007 with the renewal of hostilities between the government and rebels in the north, along with a growing al-Qaeda presence. “With threats on all sides, the regime moved to curtail political freedoms and civil liberties and began relying more heavily on tribes and patronage to hold the country together,” Porges writes. She contends that “Washington must balance near-term counterterrorism efforts with political reform and development initiatives,” including “plac[ing] consistent, coordinated pressure on (President) Saleh to advance the reform agenda.”
Update: Brian O’Neill responds: “I am not sold on political reconciliation. I think it is important, and would be ideal, but I don’t know if you can fully reconcile the country to a central government, at least not in the short term […] I think that trying to mold San’a into Washington ignores a lot of Yemeni history and culture […] We need to work within that system, which is in its own way considerably more democratic and egalitarian than Salih’s rule.”
Posted in Foreign Aid, Reform, US foreign policy, Yemen, al-Qaeda | Comment »
Reaffirming America’s Commitment to Democracy Promotion
November 16th, 2010 by Evan
In the fall issue of the Harvard International Review, Kenneth Wollack, President of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), argues that critics of democracy promotion present a “false dichotomy” between America’s values and interests. Wollack acknowledges that the Bush administration’s military intervention in Iraq and the United States’ inconsistent approach to dealing with autocrats have caused doubts, but contends that popular calls for “dignity and representation” from across the Middle East should form the foundation for a reinvigorated democracy assistance policy. According to Wollack, American policy makers must “set the tone” and create space for American nongovernmental groups like NDI and the International Republican Institute (IRI) to help governments and activists make democracy work.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Egypt: Clinton Fails to Publicly Raise Domestic Issues with Egyptian Delegation
November 12th, 2010 by Evan
The Washington Post published a new editorial today criticizing the Obama administration’s failure to publicly address Egypt’s human rights and democracy record during Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit’s visit to Washington, DC this week. “Ms. Clinton had an opportunity to send a vital message; wrongly, she chose not to,” the author writes. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley recently told reporters that the U.S. addressed domestic issues with the Egyptian delegation “directly and forcefully” behind closed doors. The Post responds that while it is “good to hear […] chances are that the private words were lost on Mr. Aboul Gheit.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Elections, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Palestine: Reconciliation Talks Continue, U.S. Boosts Aid for PA
November 10th, 2010 by Anna
Hamas and Fatah representatives met for a second round of reconciliation talks in Damascus yesterday, focusing on issues regarding control of the Palestinian security and governance apparatus. A Fatah authority said: “We realize that reconciliation is a national Palestinian interest.”
Today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the U.S. will give the Palestinian Authority an additional $150 million in aid. The increased funding is an apparent effort to boost the PA’s budget. She added that a “positive outcome” is still possible in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, in spite of a recent deadlock.
Posted in Foreign Aid, Hamas, Palestine, Political Parties | Comment »
Egypt: U.S. Must Address Egypt’s “Police-State Methods”
November 8th, 2010 by Jason
An editorial published in the Washington Post argues that the Egyptian government has begun to use “police-state methods usually associated with Syria or Sudan,” against members of the political opposition. The Mubarak regime’s abuses of the “emergency law” have included the arrests of hundreds of members of the Muslim Brotherhood, the closing of media outlets, and the abduction and unlawful detention of peaceful political activists. Al Masry Al Youm adds that “Egyptian human rights groups have recently criticized the Obama Administration for supporting stability at the expense of democratic reforms in Egypt, often citing a decision by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide funds only for officially registered NGOs, a condition that adversely affects organizations more critical of the regime.”
Posted in Egypt, Elections, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, US foreign policy | Comment »
MEPI Offers New Funding Opportunity
November 5th, 2010 by Evan
The Office of the Middle East Partnership Initiative recently announced three new funding opportunities for both international and local organizations working in the region. For details, see the links below:
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Republican Gains Will Likely Mean Cuts in Foreign Aid
November 3rd, 2010 by Anna
At Foreign Policy, Marc Lynch asserts that “there are real reasons to worry about the effects of a GOP-controlled Congress for Middle East policy.” He expresses concern that a Republican Congress might mean more hawkish policy on Iran, deference to Israeli settlement policies, and cuts in funding for the U.S. civilian mission in Iraq, “forcing the administration to scramble to deliver on its promise of a long-term civilian and political commitment.” At the Council on Foreign Relations, Senior Vice President James Lindsay similarly predicts that foreign aid will suffer under a Republican Congress, and at the Huffington Post, Marc Ginsberg writes: “the Obama Administration’s foreign aid program faces a very bleak future.” In Foreign Policy’s The Cable, Josh Rogin writes that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will be more conservative following Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold’s loss. In another piece, Rogin adds that the next head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from Florida, “is likely to seek cuts in the foreign-aid budget in her authorization bill.”
Posted in Elections, Foreign Aid, US foreign policy, US politics | Comment »
Yemen: Central Problems are Ineffective Government, Mismanaged Economy
November 3rd, 2010 by Anna
Oliver Holmes writes at Al Jazeera that counterterrorism dollars for Yemen are missing “the crux of the problem – Yemen’s struggling economy.” By focusing their efforts on terrorism, rather than development, leaders in Washington risk ignoring the country’s worsening economic situation. The troubled economy arguably poses a bigger threat and risks “drawing [Yemenis] towards radicalization and militancy,” according to a recent Chatham House report. As Christopher Boucek of the Carnegie Middle East Program points out, “unemployment, subsidies, the failure to plan for a post-oil economy and corruption…are the biggest challenges.” As such, interventions to improve security must be balanced with efforts to improve Yemen’s political and economic development. According to one official: “The economy is highly mismanaged due to the ineffectiveness of the government,” which exacerbates frustration among the population and worsens security problems. U.S. air strikes “won’t solve anything,” notes Princeton University Yemen expert Gregory Johnsen – rather, firm commitments in development aid are needed.
Posted in Foreign Aid, Military, Terrorism, US foreign policy, Yemen | Comment »
POMED Notes: “Iraq’s Development Challenges”
November 2nd, 2010 by Jason
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a roundtable discussion Tuesday titled “Iraq’s Development Challenges.” The discussants were Christine McNab, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General & UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, John Desrocher, Director, Office of Iraq Affairs, US Department of State, and Leslie Campbell, Regional Director for the Middle East & North Africa, National Democratic Institute (NDI). The discussion was moderated by Frederick Tipson, Director of UNDP/Washington.
(To read full notes, continue below the fold or click here for pdf.) Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Civil Society, Elections, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Iraq, Political Parties, Public Opinion, Reform, Sectarianism, US foreign policy | Comment »
Is America Responsible for Meaningless Elections?
November 2nd, 2010 by Evan
Writing in the Asia Times,
Ramzy Baroud argues that while democratic rhetoric has spread quickly across the region, little genuine reform has occurred. Baroud blames American policy for this reality. In recent years, Arab governments have learned two lesson: First, the U.S. is not interested in the development of genuine democracy across the region; the Muslim Brotherhood’s success in the 2005 Egyptian parliamentary election and Hamas’ victory in 2006 scared policymakers, Baroud writes. Second, countries will be judged not by the validity of their democracy, but by how well their political systems serve U.S. interests. According to Baroud, these two realizations have perpetuated a system of meaningless elections and engineered democracies.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Jordan: MCC Funds New Water Program
November 1st, 2010 by Evan
Last week, the U.S. awarded Jordan a $275 million grant to improve water access in the northeastern region of Zarqa through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). During the signing ceremony in Washington, D.C. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: “Americans understand that a strong and prosperous Jordan is good for the region and good for the world. We want to work with you to realize our shared aspirations and shape the future together.” Originally created in 2004, the MCC funds development projects in countries that meet rule of law and democracy performance criteria. Jordan’s participation in the MCC program remains controversial. The country has failed to meet the political rights and civil liberties criteria in recent years.
Posted in Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, Jordan | Comment »
Yemen: Governance Improvement Projects are Key to Security
November 1st, 2010 by Anna
The Carnegie Endowment’s Christopher Boucek writes in the Financial Times that the recent discovery of a bomb plot originating in Yemen has generated considerable debate over how the U.S. and others should respond. While many have called for increased counterterrorism and military efforts in the country, Boucek argues that “a new, expensive and singular focus on hard security will make matters worse.” Since Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and other terrorist groups “thrive…on Yemen’s internal disarray,” he suggests that it would be more productive to focus attention on its economic situation, governance problems, and resource (mainly water) scarcities. Rather than military assistance, Boucek calls for additional humanitarian aid and capacity building projects to improve Yemen’s legal infrastructure, police forces, land reform, and education, as well as to fight corruption.
Posted in Foreign Aid, US foreign policy, Yemen, al-Qaeda | Comment »
Egypt: Diplomacy Fails to Convince Mubarak to Reform
November 1st, 2010 by Evan
A recent editorial in the Washington Post
argues that the
Obama administration’s apparent disinterest in pushing for democratic reforms across the Middle East has given the Egyptian government space to crackdown on the press and opposition parties. Obama’s attempts to pressure Egypt through diplomatic channels have failed: “When he met with Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak in September, President Obama brought up the need for ‘a vibrant civil society, open political competition, and credible and transparent elections in Egypt,’ according to a White House summary. […] Since then Mr. Mubarak has done exactly the opposite of what the president asked.” If Obama is serious about pushing for change, he will have to speak out publicly, as Bush did before Egypt’s 2005 election, the author concludes.
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Elections, Foreign Aid | Comment »
Iraq: Poor Public Services May Brew Discontent
October 20th, 2010 by Anna
In today’s New York Times, the ongoing shortcomings in public works programs in Iraq are profiled. Maria Golovnina writes that while “[v]iolence may be fading compared with the dark days of sectarian carnage two years ago,” the biggest challenges facing Iraqis are the scarcity of clean water and electricity, sewage treatment, trash collection, and good healthcare. Iraqis have become increasingly exasperated with these problems as the government fails to come together, prolonging the time frame for improvements. Now that basic security is less of a concern in daily life, many citizens expect authorities to turn their attention to improving service provision. Some blame corruption, wondering where the billions of dollars in U.S. reconstruction aid and Iraqi government money have gone. Gala Riani, a Middle East analyst with HIS Global Insight consulting group, argues that the government’s failures to improve services means that “discontent will continue to brew.” A spokesman for Baghdad’s municipal government, Hakeem Abdul Zahra, points out that reconstruction projects take time.
Posted in Foreign Aid, Iraq | Comment »
Palestine: Is the PA Creating a Security State?
October 19th, 2010 by Jason
Matt Duss, writing at Foreign Policy’s Middle East Channel, asks if a “focus on security at the expense of democracy does generate bad consequences […] why are we doing it again in Palestine?” As Duss explains, the West’s confidence in Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has become pervasive and possibly dangerous. Fayyad assumed power under a “state of emergency” that Duss says “resembles Egypt’s,” which brings the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) legitimacy into question. Duss also reports that the government is allowing “Salafi prayer leaders” into the West Bank, as long as they “direct their rhetorical fire away from the PA and Abbas’ Fatah Party, and toward Fatah’s political opponents, primarily Hamas.” Duss explains the historical parallels between this current development and the rise of Hamas, while noting that peaceful political activity is being suppressed by the PA: “…activists have now found that any association with a disfavored political orientation is enough to make them targets of repression.” Duss concludes that “Political freedom is not a peripheral concern in Palestine — it is central to the U.S. goal of a functioning, viable, and democratic Palestinian state at peace with Israel. The Obama administration must not allow itself, in the interest of an illusive stability, to keep kicking the can down the road, and oversee the creation of yet another security state in the Middle East.”
Posted in Foreign Aid, Freedom, Hamas, Islamist movements, Palestine, Political Parties, US foreign policy | Comment »
Egypt: Senate Resolution Success in Question
October 15th, 2010 by Jason
Ashraf Khalil writes in Al-Masry Al-Youm that the Egyptian efforts to scuttle S.Res. 586 appear to have worked, at least temporarily. “Washington observers say the measures carry an impressive roster of supporters from both major US parties, and were being fast-tracked to approval late last month […] In the end, the Senate failed to bring the resolution up for a vote before going into recess last month.” This inaction has frustrated the bill’s proponents. POMED’s executive director Andrew Albertson: “‘I think what you’re seeing here in Washington is growing, bipartisan frustration with the Obama Administration’s approach to this particular country […] The renewal of Emergency Law in particular was seen as a real slap in the face. The Senate’s resolution is just a reflection of that broader, growing frustration.’” The Washington Post published an article in September detailing Egyptian efforts to derail the bill.
Posted in Egypt, Elections, Foreign Aid, Freedom, US foreign policy, US politics | Comment »
Contradictory Messages Make Middle East “Cynical” About Democracy
October 6th, 2010 by Anna
In an interview with the New Internationalist magazine, Middle East correspondent for The Independent Robert Fisk says that there is “a good deal of cynicism about the word [democracy]” among people in the Middle East. Although the West rhetorically promotes democracy in the region, many Western governments do not always support democratic principles in practice, even at home. Fisk asserts that what people in the Middle East seem to want is justice, adding that although foreign leaders preach justice, it is “something that I don’t think we’re interested in giving the Middle East.” Calling the effects of elections in the region “grotesque” and “a mockery,” he observes that “people seem to think it adds legitimacy to have an election even if it’s totally rigged.”
Fisk also criticizes Western support for authoritarian regimes in the Middle East who merely “play democracy.” In addition, he challenges the assumption that publics in the region “always want to buy our products, like human rights or democracy,” contending that foreign governments have not consistently supported those values in practice.
Posted in Elections, Foreign Aid, Public Opinion, US foreign policy | Comment »
