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From the POMED Wire
Amidst more ongoing crackdowns on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the Brotherhood has filed a complaint with the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Brussels against the recent detention two MP’s…
The IHT reports a Human Rights Watch assessment released today says Jordan’s prisons are filled with human rights abuses, like illegal beatings and torture…
Michael Weiss posts a great roundup of blogger discussions on the power-sharing arrangement being considered between President Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto…
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In order to continue to expand our work, POMED needs your support. Please consider making a donation through our secure, online donation site.
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| Dear Friends,
Despite the rest of Washington slowing down for August, POMED’s work has continued to grow. This summer, we have brought on new staff, launched new initiatives, held successful conferences in Cairo, Amman, and Rabat, and contributed research briefs to our allies on Capitol Hill and elsewhere. With your help, we have turned an idea into an effective advocacy organization.
But so much more work remains to be done. Over the next several months, the U.S. will face a range of critical choices in the Middle East. And all of us need to play a vocal role. Far too much of official Washington remains trapped in a false debate between tacit support for repression and blunt bellicosity in the name of freedom. And yet, it is wholly unrealistic to imagine we can safeguard our interests for any serious stretch of time by setting ourselves in opposition to indigenous demands for progress and security.
Rather than naive partnership with autocracy or military campaigns in the name of democracy, protecting our interests in the Middle East requires policymaking that recognizes that our own fates and those of average individuals in the region are linked. History will be determined by whether the opportunities and freedom necessary for hope can outstrip the frustration and repression that breeds radicalism, and by whether the region’s moderates can bring more people into the non-violent political sphere than radicals can recruit into the ranks of militants. The U.S. must act to support that progress through diplomacy, development assistance, and moral leadership on regional issues – and by speaking openly about the importance of democratic development in the region.
POMED wants to partner with you in these efforts. If you or your organization shares our values, let us know if there is a way we can support your advocacy. If you have some free time, contact us about contributing your talents to our event planning here in DC or toward the writing of our research briefs. And of you have financial resources you can spare – $10, $20, $50 or more – please consider investing in POMED through a tax-deductible donation. By working together, the U.S. constituency in support of democracy in the Middle East can make a world of difference. But we need to start now.
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Meet our New Executive Director
This month, we are proud to anounce the hiring of Andrew Albertson as POMED’s first Executive Director, effective September 1. Andrew’s deep dedication to POMED’s mission and his innovative strategic planning will be a great asset to POMED as we move forward. Andrew is one of our most effective advocates and he and the staff he has brought to POMED have been the inspiration and impetus behind many of our most successful programs over the past year. We are excited to have him leading our work at this important stage in POMED’s development.
Until recently, Andrew worked for the Truman National Security Project as a Congressional Fellow in the office of Congressman Steve Israel. Among his responsibilities there, Andrew managed two study groups for congressmembers and their staff: the Democratic Study Group on National Security and the Defense-Energy Working Group.
Expanding our Research Efforts
We’re also excited to announce the expansion of our research and publications program, led by POMED’s Research Director, Shadi Hamid. In keeping with our efforts to provide resources for our allies – both on Capitol Hill and in the broader policymaking community – POMED has begun creating a series of background briefs on every country in the Middle East. And that’s just the beginning, as a wider array of timely analysis papers will follow. To launch these new projects we’ve brought on a talented team of five Policy Associates: Neil Durnan, James Liddell, Lydia Khalil, Ysbrant Marcelis and Alex Taurel.
You’ll see much more from this group in the future, but in the meantime we wanted at least to introduce them:
Neil Durnan was, most recently, the English language editor of the Ibn Khaldun Center’s monthly publication Civil Society and Democratization in the Arab World. He served as the senior researcher on the Center’s Annual Report, a comprehensive guide to the political state of affairs in 19 Arab nations.
James Liddell currently serves as the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator for the National Democratic Institute in Morocco where he oversees evaluation and program reporting. Previously, he worked with the Public Affairs Sections of U.S. Embassies in Rabat, Morocco and Tunis, Tunisia, where he tracked and analyzed press developments, participated in public diplomacy outreach, and worked on programs for the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).
Lydia Khalil has worked in the United States and abroad for the U.S. government, international organizations, private companies and think tanks on a variety of international security issues. She is a contributing analyst to Freedom House, monitoring rights and freedoms in Arab countries. Previously, she worked in Iraq as a policy advisor for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad.
Ysbrant Marcelis is a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, where his work focuses on both government and commercial clients. Previously, he was the associate director for international policy and geo-economics at the Center for the Study of the Presidency. Marcelis also served as advisor and staff liaison to the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group.
Alex Taurel has worked on democracy promotion in collaboration with a number of organizations, including Freedom House and the Association for Civil Rights (Argentina). His domestic political experience includes stints with the office of Senator Evan Bayh and with General Wesley Clark’s presidential campaign.
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Legislative Update
Before Congress departed for the month-long August recess, there was a flurry of legislative action including Congressional sessions over the last two weekends. The final weeks saw less focus on Iraq than previous months, as many legislators were content to wait until September to revive the debate, following reports on political and military progress in Iraq from General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. From POMED’s perspective, the highlight of the late legislative push was the passage and signing into law of H.R. 1, containing recommendations of the 9/11 commission and also the ADVANCE Democracy Act, a historic piece of legislation institutionalizing U.S. support for democracy abroad.
HR 1: Implementing 9/11 Commission Recommendations and ADVANCE Democracy Act
On Friday, July 27, the House passed the conference-approved version of H.R. 1, known as the “Implementing 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007,” by a vote of 371-40. The bill, implementing recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, was passed by the Senate by a vote of 85-8. President Bush then signed the bill into law the following Friday, August 3.
Although news coverage focused on the bill’s domestic security measures, it also includes most provisions of the ADVANCE Democracy Act of 2007, historic legislation that institutionalizes U.S. support for democracy abroad. It declares that it is U.S. policy “to promote freedom, democracy and human rights as fundamental components of United States foreign policy.” The law also gives statutory standing to steps taken by the Secretary of State to further U.S. support “for the promotion of democratic principles and practices worldwide.” Among other items, it:
- Establishes Democracy Liaison Officer positions within the State Department that will focus on formulating and implementing strategies for transitions to democracy;
- Creates a Democracy Fellowship program to place State Department officers in Congressional or NGO offices to work on democracy promotion, and expands training programs for officers to learn methods for strengthening democracy and human rights;
- Institutes the consideration of service in the promotion of human rights and democracy as a criterion when recommending promotions for Foreign Service officers; and
- Supports multilateral efforts to build and support democracy such as the UN Democracy Fund and the Community of Democracies.
The international section of the implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations includes declarations on strategy for the U.S. relationship with Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, stating the importance of political reform in each. It also establishes a private, nonprofit Middle East Foundation (MEF) to provide grants, training, and expertise to local democracy advocates and groups. The MEF, modeled on existing organizations such as the Asia Foundation and long called for by democracy advocates, will complement the State Department’s existing Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) with an independent institution.
The educational portion of the act establishes an International Muslim Youth Opportunity Fund through which the United States will provide funds to assist predominantly Muslim nations with the reform and strengthening of public education.
The law also includes provisions for oversight of international broadcasting, with $2 million authorized for the Broadcasting Board of Governors to establish a pilot program providing English-language transcriptions of a random sampling of all broadcasts. During the controversy surrounding al-Hurra television this spring, critics and defenders of former al-Hurra chief Larry Register agreed on the need for greater transparency, including the release of English transcripts.
Saudi Arabia
With the announced $20 billion arms deal drawing heavy attention to Saudi Arabia, Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA) introduced H.Con.Res.202, noting the absence of human rights as a topic of discussion in the U.S.-Saudi Strategic Dialogue, and urging the President to include this subject in working level discussions with Saudi counterparts. On August 3, a letter was sent to President Bush signed by 114 Members of the House stating their opposition to the arms sale to Saudi Arabia and their intention to vote to block the deal. On July 26, H. Con. Res. 194 was introduced by Rep. Peter King (R-NY) expressing the sense of Congress regarding the failure of Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Authority to properly implement education reforms aimed at reducing the cultural roots of terrorism. Anthony Weiner and Robert Wexler have promised to try to block the deal through a Joint Resolution of Disapproval, a procedure that was used successfully in 1986 to convince President Reagan to curtail weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. According to the Arms Control Export Act of 1976, the President is required to officially notify Congress of an impending arms deal, who then has 30 days to trigger a review and pass a Joint Resolution of Disapproval, essentially blocking the deal.
Jordan
On July 26, H. Res. 575 was introduced by Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), commending the people and the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for their continued commitment to holding elections and broadening political participation. This bill has quickly gained 85 co-sponsors, in spite of numerous reports that political participation and rights in Jordan are in fact declining.
Iran
On July 31, a pair of bills aiming to strengthen the sanctions regime against Iran, H.R. 2347 and H.R. 957, both passed easily in the House and were sent to committee in the Senate. The first of these two bills authorizes state and local governments to divest from companies investing in Iran’s energy sector, while the latter expands and clarifies entities to be targeted for sanctions under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.
Conclusion
While the 110th Congress has dragged its feet on support for democracy throughout much of 2007, missing numerous opportunities to act, it is now to be commended for the passage of H.R. 1 and particularly for incorporating the ADVANCE Democracy Act (previously proposed as stand-alone legislation) into the bill. The final version of H.R. 1 demonstrates an understanding of the role that American legitimacy and development initiatives must play if we are to secure our safety and interests in an age of interdependence, ideology and transnational threats. Notably, it also marks an explicit recognition by Congress that the support of democracy – more consistently and with longer time horizons – must be a fundamental component of U.S. foreign policy in this administration and beyond.
Outlook
As Congress returns to session, two Middle East issues are expected to dominate Congressional debate – the war in Iraq, particularly following the reports of General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, and the recently announced $20 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia and other gulf states. As the debate over the arms deal continues, there are at least two major concerns from a democracy perspective – first, objections to the arms sale to Saudi Arabia have until now focused on Saudi fighters in Iraq and concerns over funding for terrorist organizations, with very little mention of the Saudi regime’s brutal treatment of its own citizens. Secondly, Congress and the Bush administration may be tempted to offer exuberant praise for democratic reform where it is not warranted, in an attempt to bolster support for arms sales to “reliable autocratic allies.” It is hoped that the U.S. government will not forget the lessons of 9/11 and terrorism, that support for autocrats abroad has consequences for American national security.
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Covering the Presidential Race
A reminder: As the 2008 presidential race heats up, don’t forget that our blog features comprehensive coverage by Matt Hickey of the candidates’ stances and views towards the Middle East and democracy promotion. Matt’s writing has received a good deal of attention in recent weeks, and we know he’s caught the attention of campaign staff from a few of the leading candidates. So stay tuned! To see his recent Election ’08 posts, click here.
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