December 17, 2011
Category: Arab League, Featured, Government, Human Rights, Multilateralism, Political transition, Reform, Syria, UN Security Council, United Nations
November 29, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Government, Iraq, Military, Multilateralism, Political transition, US media, US politics
November 25, 2011
Category: Arab League, Government, Human Rights, Military, Multilateralism, Protests, Rule of Law, sanctions, Syria
November 16, 2011
Category: Arab League, Featured, Government, Human Rights, Military, Multilateralism, Political transition, Protests, Reform, Rule of Law, sanctions, Syria
October 29, 2011
Category: Arab League, Government, Human Rights, Multilateralism, Political transition, Protests, Rule of Law, Syria, Turkey, US foreign policy
Summary and Highlights of the FY12 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bills
On Wednesday 7/27, the House State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee held a markup session and voted to pass the 2012 State and Foreign Operations Appropirations Bill, as is, to the full committee. The bill would provide $39.6 billion ...
October 21, 2011
Category: Bahrain, Civil Society, Congress, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Hezbollah, Human Rights, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Jordan, Lebanon, Legislation, Libya, Media, Middle Eastern Media, Morocco, Multilateralism, Muslim Brotherhood, Palestine, POMED, Publications, Reports, Rule of Law, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UN Human Rights Council, United Nations, US foreign policy, US politics, Western Sahara, Yemen
POMED Notes: “Syria: The Battle for Democracy and Change”
On Friday, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy hosted Andrew Tabler, distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and via Skype, Ambassador Robert Ford, the current American ambassador to Syria. Robert Satloff, executive director at the Washington Institute of Near East Policy, introduced the discussion. Both Tabler and Ford gave brief speeches and then spent the majority of the time taking questions from the audience. For full event notes, ...
October 18, 2011
Category: DC Event Notes, Democracy Promotion, Event Notes, Freedom, Government, Kurds, Multilateralism, Political transition, Protests, Reform, sanctions, Syria, US foreign policy
Arab League Discusses Syria in Emergency Meeting
The Arab League held an emergency meeting in Cairo to decided and discuss whether to suspend Syria from the League. While suspension is unlikely to have any major impact to Syria, it would be another step in further ...
October 16, 2011
Category: Arab League, Human Rights, Multilateralism, Political transition, Protests, Syria
Rogin: Obama Administration Seeks to Further Isolate Iran
Josh Rogin writes in Foreign Policy that the Obama administration is "asking countries around the world to stop letting Iranian leaders stop by for official visits," and to tighten sanctions and pressure on Iran. Undersecretary of State for Political ...
October 14, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Featured, Government, Iran, Multilateralism, sanctions, US foreign policy, US politics
Syria: New U.N. Resolution, Turkey Drafts Sanctions
Several E.U. powers plan to draft a new U.N. resolution, dropping the immediate calls for sanctions against Syria. Britain, France, Germany, and Portugal are proposing a scaled-back resolution aimed at appeasing the "BRICS" bloc in the U.N., that will threaten ...
September 28, 2011
Category: International Law, Multilateralism, sanctions, Syria, Turkey, United Nations
September 27, 2011
Category: Bahrain, Diplomacy, Featured, Freedom, Government, Human Rights, Iran, Multilateralism, Political transition
Oman to Be “Honest Broker” in Hiker Negotiations
As the U.S. seeks to free the last two hikers held in Iran, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, Oman has assumed the role as the "honest broker" between the two countries. After playing a role in releasing American hiker Sarah Shourd in ...
September 16, 2011
Category: Featured, Human Rights, International Law, Iran, Iraq, Multilateralism, Oman
September 14, 2011
Category: Arab League, Featured, Human Rights, International Law, Multilateralism, sanctions, Syria, United Nations
Syria: Analysts Discuss Downfall of Assad
As Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown continues, many analysts are questioning if the regime will fall. Andrew Tabler, with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, notes that Syria's allies are pushing for reform, but not calling for the ...
Libya: “Key Victory” for Obama Doctrine
Writing in the New York Times, Helene Cooper and Steven Lee Myers argue that the rebels' seizure of Tripoli signifies "a key victory for an Obama doctrine for the Middle East." It would be hasty to speculate on how this "Libya model" could be transferred to other conflicts such as Syria, and yet administration officials view the U.S. coordinated approach on pressuring the Syrian regime as an indication that the ...
August 30, 2011
Category: Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Libya, Multilateralism, Political transition, US foreign policy
Syria: U.S, U.N. and Arab League Respond to Continuing Crackdown
State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland condemned the Syrian government's attack on political cartoonist and activist Ali Farzat, and demanded that "the Assad regime immediately stop its campaign of terror through torture, illegal imprisonment, and murder." The ...
August 26, 2011
Category: Arab League, Diplomacy, Featured, Military, Multilateralism, Protests, sanctions, Syria, UN Security Council, US foreign policy
Libya: U.S. Reaffirms Commitment to TNC, Speculation on Congressional Support
Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns led the U.S. delegation to the Libya Contact Group meeting in Turkey today. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the meeting "was characterized by an upbeat spirit and recognition of what our combined efforts have helped to achieve." Separately, Burns met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to discuss a variety of issues. Commenting at the talks, Burns called on the TNC to live up to ...
August 25, 2011
Category: Congress, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Libya, Multilateralism, Political transition, US foreign policy
Libya: Analysts Discuss Post-Gadhafi Nation-Building
Writing in Foreign Affairs, James Dobbins and Frederic Wehrey discuss the prospects for post-Muammar Gadhafi nation-building. A successful transition will necessitate ensuring security, creating representative institutions, stimulating the economy, and tempering expectations. The authors conclude that the Libyan people must "translate the euphoria of their recent gains into patience and steadfastness in the months and years ahead," while the U.S. and international community "must apply the lessons of past reconstruction ...
August 24, 2011
Category: Civil Society, Libya, Multilateralism, Political transition, Security Sector, United Nations, US foreign policy
Syria: U.N. Calls for Investigation, Ford Travels, Protests Continue
The United Nations Human Rights Council opened an emergency session on Syria yesterday, with the support of Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The council passed a resolution ordering an investigation into the human rights violations in Syria, and called for an immediate end to the violence. The resolution was opposed by China, Russia, and Cuba. And a statement on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website on Tuesday criticized foreign pressure on Syria. State Department ...
August 23, 2011
Category: Diplomacy, Human Rights, Multilateralism, Protests, sanctions, Syria, UN Human Rights Council, US foreign policy
As Gadhafi Falls, Speculation on Assad’s Fate
Reuters speculates that the recent success of rebel forces in Libya could embolden opposition in Syria and inspire a stronger international response. And in the New York Times, Anthony Shadid describes Syria as the emerging "front line of the Arab revolts." Given the chain of events in Libya, "the arithmetic of the region seems to be betting against authoritarian rule that fails to reform." Yet Syrian activists remain cautious of drawing too many ...
August 22, 2011
Category: Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Multilateralism, sanctions, Syria, US foreign policy