POMED Notes: “A Reawakened Rivalry: the GCC vs. Iran”
On Friday, the Middle East Policy Council hosted an event entitled "A Reawakened Rivalry: the GCC vs. Iran." The panel was moderated by Omar Kader, Chairman of the board at the Middle East Policy Council, and featured Thomas Lippman, former reporter, editor, and Middle East correspondent at the Washington Post, Thomas R. Mattair, executive director at the Middle East Policy Council, and Alex Vatanka, a scholar at the Middle East ...
Congressmen Introduce Resolution to Block Arms Sale
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representative James McGovern (D-MA) introduced resolutions in both houses of Congress intended to block the proposed arms sale to Bahrain. The two congressmen, concerned about the way the Bahraini government is handling the popular uprising, ...
Amnesty International to Congress: Stop Bahrain Arms Sale
Amnesty International sent a letter to the Senate and House of Representatives, calling on the U.S. government to suspend the proposed arms sale because it "poses a substantial risk of contributing to further grave violations of human rights in Bahrain." The ...
Analysis: “How to Make Turks Your Friends/Enemies”
Soner Cagaptay, Director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Center for Near East Policy, writes that a nation can either make friends or enemies with Turkey based on its appearance through the "PKK prism." Cagaptay asserts that "Turks judge the world" through the PKK prism: "aid Turkey against the PKK and you become its best friend. Allow perceptions of support for the PKK to build and you invite Turkey's ...
Bahrain: Doctors Urge U.S. Support, Protester Killed
Ali Alekri, a Bahraini surgeon sentenced to 15 years for treating protesters, expressed concern over the international community's silence on the continuing crackdown: "The international community did nothing. We expect pressure from the Americans, and we do not ...
Gadhafi Urges Resistance, Fighting Embroils Sirte
Deposed Libyan President Muammar Gadhafi implored "the Libyan people, men and women, to go out into the squares and the streets and in all the cities in their millions" to reject the TNC, making his call late Thursday on ...
McGovern, Wyden Introduce Block to Bahrain Arms Sale
Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a joint resolution in both the House and Senate opposing the proposed $53 million arms sale to Bahrain. Human rights groups have rallied to oppose the ...
Analysis: “Presidential Succession Scenarios in Egypt”
Gregory Aftandilian released a report entitled "Presidential Succession Scenarios in Egypt and Their Impact on U.S.-Egyptian Strategic Relations." The monograph, written prior to the January 25 revolution, outlines possible political outcomes after Mubarak. Aftandilian's work also examines ...
Congressional Members Oppose US-Bahrain Arms Sale
Josh Rogin writes that "a growing group of lawmakers and non-governmental organizations are gearing up to oppose the State Department's" proposed $53 million arms sale to Bahrain, and that "Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) are circulating ...
POMED Notes: “Bahrain: The Forgotten Uprising in the Arab Spring”
On Tuesday, the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center hosted Maryam al-Khawaja, Head of Foreign Relations at the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. Al-Khawaja discussed the human rights violations that have accompanied the Government of Bahrain's crackdown on popular protests. Haleh Esfandiari, Director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center, moderated the event. For full event notes, continue reading. Or, click here for the PDF. Al-Khawaja began her presentation ...
CFR Launches Online Interactive Iran “Crisis Guide”
The Council on Foreign Relations launched a new online interactive "Crisis Guide" to Iran. The portal features a timeline of Iranian history, traces its "evolution as an Islamic republic," and outlines "the controversial nuclear program." The resource also offers information on Iran's role in the region as well as internal dynamics. Finally, the Crisis Guide presents multimedia illustrations of policy options, including sanctions, opposition support, public diplomacy, covert action, and ...
Egypt: Panetta Discusses Democracy and Emergency Law
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called on Egypt's ruling military leaders to follow through on building a legitimate democracy, patch up relations with Israel, and release an alleged U.S.-Israeli spy. The military leaders said nothing publicly on each count, but Panetta came away from ...
State Department: Transition a Top Priority in Yemen
In the wake of the recent assassination of U.S.-born cleric Anwar al- Awlaki, the U.S. State Department stated that political transition in Yemen is still a top priority. The State Department maintained that the main focus is to convince ...
Tunisia: PM Defends Gradual Changes
As Tunisia prepares for its first free election this month, Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi defended the gradual democratic transition in Tunisia, stating that “we offer a step-by-step approach," and offered the analogy "when someone is hungry asking for food, ...
Robert Ford Confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Syria
The U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, was confirmed last night by the Senate after serving under a recess appointment as he was not confirmed the first time around. After being attacked multiple times by pro-regime Syrians and ...
POMED Notes: “The Forgotten Arab Uprising: Politics and Human Rights in Bahrain”
On Monday, American University’s School of International Service (SIS) hosted a panel discussion entitled “The Forgotten Arab Uprising: Politics and Human Rights in Bahrain.” The panel featured Maryam al- Khawaja from the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Joe Stork from Human Rights Watch, Saqer al-Khalifa of Bahrain’s Cultural and Media Attaché and Kristin Diwan from the Comparative and Regional Studies program at SIS. The panel was moderated by SIS Professor ...
Analysis: “Rebels and AQAP Present Thorny Dilemma”
In a Policy Watch piece for the Washington Center for Near East Policy, Michael Knights writes that "the growing nexus between antigovernment rebels and AQAP presents a thorny dilemma for Washington." Knights notes that the government crackdown in Yemen has prompted previously disconnected opposition factions to work together, drawing "even more Islamists into the armed opposition" in the South. Knights argues that U.S. counter-terrorism efforts aimed at al-Qaeda in the ...
Analysis: U.S. Must “Do More” for Arab Spring
In an editorial for The New Republic, Shadi Hamid argues that the urgency of the historical moment defining the Arab Spring necessitates "bold visionary leadership" from the United States rather than a "lead from behind" strategy. The Obama administration ...
Dozens of Bahraini Opposition Members Sentenced
Bahrain's National Safety Court, a special security court set up following a mid-March clampdown on demonstrations, sentenced 14 protesters for beating to death a Pakistani "with a terrorist aim", as well as "assembling for riots". Fifteen others
State Dept. “Deeply Disturbed” by Bahraini Medical Sentences
The State Department issued the following statement expressing their concern about the imprisonment of Bahraini medical professionals sentenced this week to terms between 5-15 years. The U.N. Human rights office also criticized the sentences. "We are ...