Analyst Examines Differences among Arab Uprisings
In an op-ed, professor Mark LeVine describes why democratic transitions have been so drastically different across the Middle East. He argued that the initial movement in Syria was not as successful as Egypt or Tunisia due in part to a ...
October 10, 2012
Category: Bahrain, Civil Society, Egypt, Featured, Gulf, Human Rights, Libya, NGOs, Political transition, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, UN Security Council
The Brookings Institution: Americans on the Middle East
The Brookings Institution published a study of American opinions on the Middle East, conducted by the University of Maryland’s Program on International Policy Attitudes and Anwar Sadat Chair Shibley Telhami. The study sought to gauge American first impressions and public opinion of the attacks on U.S. embassies in the Middle East, and whether attitudes on other issues have changed since the attacks. A poll conducted as part of the study found that a majority ...
October 9, 2012
Category: Egypt, Foreign Aid, Iran, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Israel, Libya, Political transition, Syria, US foreign policy
Thousands March on Maspero as Morsi Pardons Protesters
On his 100th day as president of Egypt, Mohamed Morsi issued a general amnesty for all protesters and political prisoners arrested between January 25, 2011 and June 30, 2012 in connection to the revolution, excluding those charged with murder. Morsi had ...
October 9, 2012
Category: Egypt, Featured, Freedom, Human Rights, Political transition, Protests, Turkey
Weekly Wire – October 9th
POMED's Weekly Wire for October 9th is now available. This week we highlight these and other top stories: Romney Talks Middle East Policy, Foreign Aid in Speech Demonstrations, Election Boycott Calls Shake Streets of Amman Reps. Ros-Lehtinen, Jordan Question Aid to Egypt Libyan Prime Minister Receives Vote of No Confidence To continue reading the full Weekly Wire, click here.
POMED Notes: U.S.-Egyptian Relations: Where is the Bilateral Relationship Headed?
The Center for National Policy hosted an event on Thursday (10/4) entitled “U.S.-Egyptian Relations: Where is the Bilateral Relationship Headed?” The discussion centered around the slow and initial tepid response of the new Egyptian leadership to the attack on the U.S. embassy in Cairo. The response caused some members of Congress to advocate for a cut in U.S. assistance. On the other hand, both Egyptian and U.S. officials have indicated ...
October 8, 2012
Category: Congress, Egypt, Foreign Aid, Islam and Democracy, Israel, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition, Reform, US foreign policy
Debate over U.S. Aid to Egypt Continues
In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee, expressed concerns and raised a number of questions ...
October 5, 2012
Category: Committee Meetings, Congress, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, Political transition, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: Meeting of the Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy
The U.S. Department of State’s Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy to the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs held a quarterly meeting on Wednesday (10/3), hosted by Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez. The meeting focused on U.S. Government economic related assistance for supporting Egypt’s democratic transition and how the U.S. Government can assist U.S. businesses seeking to operate in Egypt. The meeting was conducted ...
POMED Notes: The Economics of the Arab Spring
On Thursday, the Atlantic Councils’ Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted a roundtable discussion titled “The Economics of the Arab Spring: Populism or Reform?” The discussion included Dr. Mohsin Khan, Senior Fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, Atlantic Council, Dr. Zubair Iqbal, Adjunct Scholar at the Middle East Institute, and Michele Dunne, Director of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, who led ...
October 4, 2012
Category: Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Islamist movements, Lebanon, Libya, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Political transition, Protests, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Women, Yemen
State Dept. to Consult Congress on Egypt Aid
State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland explained that due to concern from Congress over the recently-announced $450 million of assistance pledged to Egypt, the State Department is "going to have to work with the Congress in the coming days ...
October 2, 2012
Category: Civil Liberties, Civil Society, Congress, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Human Rights, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Legislation, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Political transition, Protests, Reform, Sectarianism, Secularism, Women
Syria: International Community Struggles with Solution
U.N. Security Council members remain deeply divided on how to deal with the Syrian crisis, while both Syria and Iran have expressed discontent with perceived meddling in the conflict. "We heard calls from this podium, and on other platforms, ...
October 2, 2012
Category: Egypt, Featured, Freedom, Iran, NATO, Political transition, Syria, Turkey, United Nations, US foreign policy
Libyan Citizens Hand Over Private Weaponry
In response to an army-led initiative to get arms off the streets, hundreds of citizens turned out in Tripoli and Benghazi to hand in their weapons. "When I saw the announcement on television I came to Benghazi with ...
October 1, 2012
Category: Civil Liberties, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Libya, US foreign policy
Egypt Aid Blocked, Romney Writes Middle East Op-ed
Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), chairwoman of the congressional subcommittee administering foreign aid, blocked $450 million in emergency aid for Egypt, part of a larger debate that has been brewing in the Congress about U.S. aid for the Middle East. ...
October 1, 2012
Category: Congress, Egypt, Elections 2012, Featured, Foreign Aid, Legislation, US politics
Weekly Wire – October 1st
POMED's Weekly Wire for October 1st is now available. In this week's edition, we cover these and other top stories: Bahraini Boy Killed, Medics' Sentences Upheld U.S. Outlines Aid to Egypt Analysts React to MEK Removal from Foreign Terrorist List Leader of Hamas Steps Down Libyan Militia Groups Ordered to Disband To continue reading the full Weekly Wire, click here.
USG Outlines New Egypt Aid Initiatives
Earlier this week, the U.S. government announced new aid packages to Egypt that target "Egyptian priorities such as inclusive economic growth, job creation, rights and participation, and accountable and effective government." The efforts include the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund for small and ...
POMED Notes: Beyond Dichotomy, Building a New Egypt
The Woodrow Wilson Center International Center for Scholars hosted an event on Wednesday (9/26) entitled “Beyond Dichotomy: Building a New Egypt,” featuring Wilson Center Senior Scholar Margot Badran. Over the past year in Egypt she saw how a society which has been polarized for several decades along the lines of “the religious” and “the secular” has witnessed a decrease in significance of such categories. According to Badran, such distinctions are ...
September 27, 2012
Category: Egypt, Elections, Event Notes, Islamist movements, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Islam, Reform, Secularism
Obama Speaks on Middle East Policy at UN
On September 25, President Barack Obama spoke at the U.N. General Assembly focusing heavily on foreign policy in the Middle East. His speech addressed recent violence directed at U.S. embassies, reiterated the administration’s support for democratic reform, encouraged ...
September 25, 2012
Category: Civil Liberties, Civil Society, Democracy Promotion, Diplomacy, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Freedom, Gulf, Human Rights, Islamist movements, Israel, Libya, Palestine, Policymakers, Presidential Candidates, Protests, Reform, Syria, Tunisia, United Nations, US foreign policy, US politics, Yemen
Clinton and Morsi Discuss Economic Assistance
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi met in New York to discuss the potential for expanded aid, despite the recent outbreak of violence in the region. The proposed $1 billion in debt relief ...
September 25, 2012
Category: Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Islamist movements, Israel, United Nations, US foreign policy
Internet Freedom Report Released, U.S. Internet Bill Passed
Early Saturday morning the Senate passed S.Con.Res. 50, which calls on "the United States to promote a global Internet free from government control and preserve and advance the successful multistakeholder model that governs the Internet today." The bill ...
September 24, 2012
Category: Civil Liberties, Civil Society, Egypt, Featured, Freedom, Gulf, Human Rights, Iran, Jordan, Journalism, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE