The Project on Middle East Democracy Wire is a blog serving policymakers, democracy advocates, and the academic community by providing comprehensive coverage of the debates surrounding U.S. foreign policy and prospects for democracy in the Middle East. By reporting on the full range of debate, including opinions with which we disagree, we aim to provide a one-stop shop for readers who share our concerns.

We are not without an agenda. For both moral and strategic reasons, we believe the U.S. should more consistently support democracy in the Middle East (for more on this, see our principles). At times, we will publish articles by individuals who share our perspective and have expertise on U.S. policy toward particular countries.

Nonetheless, opinions expressed on our blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of POMED as an organization.

Main Contributors:

Zack Kerns is a Legislative Assistant with the Project on Middle East Democracy. He is currently a graduate student in Middle East Studies, with a professional concentration in International Economics, at George Washington University.  Prior to joining POMED, Zack served as the public affairs intern for the U.S. embassy in Cairo and was a research assistant for Iraqi affairs at the National Defense University. He completed his undergraduate studies at the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in Religion. Contact Zack at zack.kerns@pomed.org.

Jason Stern is a Legislative Assistant with the Project on Middle East Democracy. Jason graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cornell University in 2008 with a B.A. in Government and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. The Cornell Government Department awarded him the Kasdan-Montessori Peace Prize for his honors thesis that explored how different Internet media shape discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. After graduation, Jason moved to Cairo, Egypt where he continued his study of Arabic and traveled extensively throughout the Middle East. Contact Jason at jason.stern@pomed.org.

Stephen McInerney serves as POMED’s Director of Advocacy and Editor of the POMED Wire blog and the Weekly Wire digest. He has more than six years experience in the Middle East, including graduate studies of Middle Eastern politics, history, and the Arabic language at the American University of Beirut and the American University in Cairo. His commentary on Middle East politics and U.S. foreign policy has appeared in publications including the Washington Post, Foreign Policy, the Arab Reform Bulletin, The Daily Star and the New Republic. He has spoken on Middle East affairs with numerous media outlets including MSNBC and CBS News. Contact Steve at stephen.mcinerney@pomed.org.

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