July 2008 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

As you know, supporting the emergence of democracies in the Middle East means first and foremost partnering with pro-democracy actors on the ground.  The supply of official U.S. assistance and diplomatic support is important, but so is the demand: to have any hope of success, U.S. policymakers must pay close attention to the kinds of support local pro-democracy activists and reformers want to see out of Washington.  And that’s changing – fast.

This month, POMED hosted representatives elected from our Young Global Leaders Forums in Rabat, Amman, and Cairo. They came to Washington to discuss with government officials and other leaders a set of policy recommendations, which were voted on and approved by majorities of both the Arab and American participants of each of the three conferences.

A quick look down their list is instructive.  And while I encourage you to read through the full list of their recommendations, I want to highlight what I see as five broad themes that emerge from their findings – and which point the way toward a pro-democracy American posture that would be far better received in the Middle East.

First, the conference delegates feel strongly that issues of political reform are closely linked to other challenges the region faces, which include ending the Arab-Israeli conflict, alleviating poverty, enhancing public health and education systems, meeting the needs of refugees, and reducing the threat of conflict.  If the U.S. hopes to be a credible voice for reform, efforts to support the emergence of representative governance should go side-by-side with efforts to resolve these other challenges.

Second, they call for an attitudinal change: the U.S. needs to approach the region as a willing partner of local reformers, rather than as an imperious power.

Third, they make clear that only peaceful means are legitimate and effective for supporting democracy.  The rhetoric tying the U.S. invasion of Iraq to the hope for democracy elsewhere in the region has been counterproductive, and needs to be walked back.

Fourth, they put great emphasis on the role of constructive people-to-people dialogue, and cultural and educational exchange, for fostering better policy solutions and diverse partnerships for promoting reforms. Government-to-government channels can only have so much effect – citizens should be empowered to get involved.

Fifth, they highlight the importance of media, including online media, for building public dialogue, and ask that the U.S. step up its efforts to encourage the emergence of free media through assistance programs, skill-building, and public support for reforms.

The views of these young people are important because of what they represent – a thoughful guide for U.S. policymakers at a time when recent efforts have been stymied and U.S. credibility is low.  But they’re also important because of who they represent.  Today, we know that roughly two thirds of all people living in the Middle East are below the age of 30.  If governments cannot respond to that generation of young people, the future of the region is a bleak one.  On the other hand, if state institutions can be reformed in such a way as to harness the energy and enthusiasm of the region’s youth, they have the power to generate a vibrant, productive, and democratic Middle East.

In the coming months and years, POMED will remain deeply engaged in this project of listening to the voices of young, emerging leaders.  In Jordan, Egypt, and Morocco, we are already engaged in follow-up activities to continue the dialogue, and advocate for reforms.

And we want to invite you to engage in that project with us.  Take a moment today to read through their report, located here on our website, and let us know what you think.  We would like nothing more than to pass along your comments to the delegates and participants!

All the best,
Andrew

Andrew Albertson
Executive Director
Project on Middle East Democracy
andrew.albertson@pomed.org
(202) 422-6804

POMED Updates

Addressing the Political Crisis in Turkey

This past month, political actors across the Middle East had their eyes on Turkey, as its Constitutional Court considered a case to ban the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), accused of violating Turkey’s secular political system and traditions.  Many feared that a ban on the ruling party would bring a wide range of serious consequences for Turkey, its relations with the U.S., and for the hope of democracy across the Middle East.

On Thursday, July 24, the week prior to the anticipated ruling, POMED hosted an event on Capitol Hill to discuss the case and its far-reaching implications for the Middle East.  We were honored to have a diverse panel of experts speak at the event: Omer Taspinar of the Brookings Institution, Bulent Aliriza of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Abdullah Akyuz of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD). For notes on the event, click here.

Coinciding with the Capitol Hill event on July 24, the Christian Science Monitor published an op-ed on the crisis in Turkey by POMED Research Associate Alex Taurel and POMED Director of Research Shadi Hamid.  In the piece, entitled “Turkey’s Dangerous Message to the Muslim World,” they warn that political actors across the region would interpret the banning of Turkey’s ruling party as signaling, “no matter how much Islamists moderate, they won’t be accepted as legitimate participants in the democratic process.”

The following week, on July 30, POMED and other concerned observers were pleased to hear the court’s surprising ruling, which did not ban the AK Party, but instead revoked half of the party’s funding from the Turkish treasury.  More details on the ruling are available on the POMED Wire blog.

POMED Welcomes Delegation of Representatives from Middle East Youth Conferences to Washington

POMED was honored last week to host six elected representatives from its spring 2008 Global Leaders Forum conferences in Morocco, Egypt and Jordan, which we hosted in partnership with Americans for Informed Democracy. During their stay, the representatives met with top government officials to advocate the adoption of the policy recommendations developed by the 138 American and Middle Eastern youth leaders who attended the three conferences. Such officials included, at the Department of State: Erica Barks-Ruggles, Deputy Assistant Secretary / Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Kent Patton, Deputy Assistant Secretary / Bureau of Near East Affairs; Richard Sokolsky and David Weinberg from the Office of Policy Planning.  The representatives met with a large group of key USAID staff, including George Laudato, Special Assistant for the Middle East and David McCloud, Director of the Office of Middle East Affairs.  Meetings were also held with several House and Senate offices and committees, key non-governmental organizations, and top representatives from both presidential campaigns.  In addition, the group discussed their policy recommendations at a public event co-hosted by the Middle East Institute, and with a roundtable gathering of top young professionals co-hosted with Young Professionals in Foreign Policy.

More information is available on our website about our Global Leaders Forums, as well as the preliminary report detailing the policy recommendations that emerged from those conferences.

Legislative Roundup

On June 30, President Bush signed into law the Fiscal Year 2008 War Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provided funding for the ongoing efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan along with bilateral economic assistance for other countries in the region for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2008, while also providing “bridge funds” for Fiscal Year 2009.  Having finally completed work on this supplemental bill (which had originally been introduced in Congress more than a year prior), Congress was ready to focus in July on the FY09 annual supplemental appropriations.  Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees were scheduled to mark up versions of the FY09 State and Foreign Operations bill in July.  The Senate committee completed its markup as scheduled, but in the House, the full committee markup was delayed until after the recess.  These bills are likely to form the basis of the FY09 Appropriations Act for State and Foreign Operations, though the final bill is not expected to be passed until early 2009. 

In other news, bills were introduced in the House and Senate this week that addressed a wide variety of policy issues, including strengthening sanctions on Iran, the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, and increasing assistance to Pakistan.

Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations

On July 18, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations bill for State and Foreign Operations.  One of the most notable changes from previous years and from the President’s budget request for FY09 is the sharp decrease in support for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which has been granted $1 billion or more annually since FY04, but is only allotted $254 million for FY09 by the Senate committee, approximately 11% of the President’s FY09 request of $2.22 billion.

Generally speaking, the levels of funding for bilateral foreign assistance to countries of the Middle East adhered very closely to the President’s budget request.  This includes:

• Egypt: $1.3 in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and $200 million in Economic Support Funds (ESF), as requested.  An additional note is included authorizing $200 million to be placed in an endowment for future disbursement to the Egyptian government for economic development.
• Jordan: $263.5 million in ESF, $235 million in FMF, as requested.
• Lebanon: $67.5 million in ESF, $62.2 million in FMF, as requested.
• West Bank: $75 million in ESF, $25 million in assistance designated for law enforcement, as requested. 

Areas where funding differed from the President’s request:

• Turkey: receives $15 million in ESF for economic development programs along the border of Iraq.  No ESF funds were requested by the President for Turkey.
• Afghanistan: $732 million in ESF, exceeding the President’s request by $25 million.
• Pakistan: $425 million in ESF, $28 million less than the President’s request, along with $300 million (as requested) in FMF.
• Iraq: $75 million in ESF, as opposed to the President’s request of $300 million.  However, it should be noted that this discrepancy is misleading, as Iraq continues to receive the bulk of its funding through the war supplemental bills rather than the annual appropriations process. 
• $117.5 million was allocated for a “Democracy Fund”, including $2.5 million to promote democracy in Syria and an equal amount for democracy promotion in Libya.  Also included in this fund is $20 million to promote democracy in Iran and to “counter the political influence of the Government of Iran in Lebanon and the West Bank and Gaza.”  A clause also prohibits any of the funds for Iran from being used for educational or cultural exchanges.  The President’s budget request did not include a “Democracy Fund” heading, and no funds were requested for democracy promotion in Libya or Syria, as granted here.  $65 million was requested in ESF for Iran, though no funds other than the $20 million in the Democracy Fund are specifically designated by the Senate Committee for Iran programs. 

Iran

On July 7, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) introduced Senate resolution S.3227, the Iran Sanctions Act of 2008.  The bill would sanction Iran for its lack of nuclear cooperation by prohibiting all non-humanitarian related U.S.-Iranian trade, allowing the President to freeze the assets of Iranian government and military personnel, and penalizing U.S. parent companies if their foreign entities violate Iranian sanctions. On July 15, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) introduced the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2008 [later designated as S.3445, but full text of bill is not yet available].  The bill expands pre-existing sanctions on Iran, strengthens enforcement techniques to prevent illegal transfer of technology to Iran, and authorizes state and local governments to divest from companies that invest in the Iranian energy sector.  The bill was also approved by the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Iraq

A number of bills were introduced in July to address the Iraq War  and the future of U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq.  On July 9, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) introduced House resolution H.Res.1326 calling on the President to respect and honor Iraq’s sovereignty by redeploying the U.S. military if asked to do so by the government of Iraq. On July 10,  Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced House resolution H.Res.1329,  expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should accept the Iraqi government’s stated goal of setting a timetable for withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Iraq. On July 15, Rep.Alcee Hastings (D-FL) introduced House resolution H.R.6496 to address the impending humanitarian crisis and potential security breakdown as a result of the mass influx of Iraqi refugees into neighboring countries, and the growing internally displaced population in Iraq, by increasing directed accountable assistance to these populations and their host countries, facilitating the resettlement of Iraqis at risk. 

Pakistan

On July 15, Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE) introduced Senate resolution S.3263 to authorize aid for Pakistan from 2009 to 2013 in order to promote an enhanced strategic partnership with Pakistan and its people.  The proposed $7.5 billion aid package seeks to enhance the bilateral relationship by broadening the aid from mere security issues to economic, social, and governance sectors in order to better engage the Pakistani people.  On July 10, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) introduced House resolution H.Res.1336 encouraging the United States Secretary of State to work with the government of Pakistan to secure the return to the United States of all American children being educated in madrassas in Pakistan.

Other Legislation

On July 22, Senators Sessions (R-AL) and Coleman (R-MN) introduced S. Res. 619, “expressing support for a constructive dialogue on human rights issues between the United States and Bahrain.” The bill notes several areas of concern with regard to democracy and human rights in Bahrain, including the use of torture, discrimination against the Shi’a minority, and the denial of the right to a fair trial.  The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

On July 23, Rep.Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced House resolution H.Res.1369, which recognizes nongovernmental organizations working to bring just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, notes the importance of U.S. support to the work of such NGOs, and urges Israeli and Palestinian leaders to follow the lead of the NGOs in pursuing a just and lasting peace.  On Thursday (7/24), the bill was marked up by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be reported by unanimous consent. 

On July 17, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced Senate resolution S.Res.615, urging the government of Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Orthodox Christian Church.