Jordanian Protests Turn Violent, Journalists Sue
Last Friday, a 2,000 member peaceful march in Amman, that began at the al-Husseini Mosque and ended in front of City Hall, turned violent as security forces attacked protesters and journalists covering the event. At least 17 journalists ...
HRW: Bahraini Government Attacked Medical Staff, Facilities
Human Rights Watch released a report detailing attacks by Bahraini security forces on doctors, nurses, clinics, hospitals, and other medical personnel. The report's summary noted the attacks included, "denial of medical access to protesters injured by security forces; the siege of hospitals and health centers; and the detention, ill-treatment, torture, and prosecution of medics and patients with protest-related injuries." 48 medical personnel remain on trial for protest related crimes.
Ford: “No Evidence” of Reform in Syria
In a telephone interview with Foreign Policy yesterday, U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford said that "I have seen no evidence yet in terms of hard changes on ground that the Syrian government is willing to reform at anything like the speed demanded ...
Clinton Announces Full U.S. Recognition of Libyan TNC
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on Friday that the U.S. will now recognize the Transitional National Council (TNC), based in Benghazi as the sole legitimate government of Libya. She said, "I am announcing today that, until ...
Egyptian Elections Delayed 1-2 Months
Yesterday, the Egyptian Supreme Council for the Armed Forces (SCAF) announced that elections originally scheduled for September would be rescheduled to October or November. The official announcing the decision said that the electoral process would begin in September, ...
Egypt: 669 Dismissed from Police Force, Protests Continue
According to Bloomberg, unrest persists in Egypt prompting citizens to continue protests and demonstrations in Tahrir Square and other sites throughout the country. Trying to quell demands of the protesters, Egypt has postponed parliamentary elections set to take place ...
Gadhafi Signaling Willingness to Leave, U.S. is Skeptical
New intelligence reports have emerged that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi may be ready to negotiate a settlement to the current situation. U.S. intelligence has indicated that troops loyal to Gadhafi are increasingly demoralized and that defections in the ...
Analysts Discuss the Moroccan Referendum
In a recent Op/Ed in the New York Times, Ahmed Charai and Joseph Braude lauded the results of the July 1 Moroccan referendum as "the most significant development in the Arab world all summer." They discussed the newly ...
Clinton: Assad “Not Indispensable…Has Lost Legitimacy”
Last night, after Syrian protesters stormed the U.S. embassy in Damascus earlier in the day, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "President has lost legitimacy" She also called on others in the international community to speak out ...
July 11, 2011
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Events, Featured, Government, Justice, Political transition, Protests
Syria: Attacks on U.S. Embassy, New Hama Governor
On Monday, the U.S. embassy compound in Damascus was broken into by protesters loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The protesters later left. Additional reports also indicate that pro-Assad protesters tried to enter the French embassy compound. The ...
Yemen: U.S. Official Urges Saleh to Step Down
Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh met with top U.S. President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism official, John Brennan in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The two met at a military hospital in Riyadh where Saleh has been recovering since the ...
July 10, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Government, Gulf Cooperation Council, Political transition, Reform, Saudi Arabia, US foreign policy, Yemen
Egypt: A Second Wave of Reform Protests
Earlier today, Egyptians rallied by the tens of thousands in Tahrir Square, Alexandria, and Suez in protest of the current regime implemented after the fall of Hosni Mubarek February 11. Al-Jazeera reports that protesters are unhappy with the ...
July 8, 2011
Category: Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Elections, Featured, Government, Judiciary, Justice, Military, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Parties, Political transition, Protests, Reform
Syria: U.S. Ambassador Visits Hama
State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said that U.S. Ambassador Robert Ford traveled to Hama yesterday, where he spoke with residents, visited a hospital, and expressed U.S. support for the Syrian people. Ford received a "very warm welcome," and is expected ...
Libya Debate Postponed in Senate, Expected in House
Procedural voting on the resolution (S.J.Res.20) in support of Libya intervention proposed by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was postponed yesterday. The postponement was to avoid a Republican filibuster in the Senate, ...
July 6, 2011
Category: Congress, Constitutional Issues, Featured, Government, Legislation, US foreign policy, US politics
Syria: U.S. Criticism Grows Along with Protests
State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland released a press statement condemning the crackdown in Syria. Nuland said: "The government of Syria claims it is interested in a dialogue with the opposition. Yet, its actions in cities like Hama and ...
July 1, 2011
Category: Democracy Promotion, Featured, Protests, Reform, Syria, United Nations, US foreign policy
Controversy over Kucinich’s Visit to Syria
The Editorial Board for the Washington Post criticized Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) for meeting with President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, hosting a press conference (where he was reportedly misquoted), and in essence lending Assad's regime legitimacy. ...
June 30, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Political transition, Syria, US foreign policy, US media