POMED Notes: “U.S. Policy in the Middle East on the Eve of President Obama’s Trip”
The Center for American Progress held an event on Tuesday, March 19th, titled “U.S. Policy in the Middle East on the Eve of President Obama’s Trip.” It featured a keynote address by Sandy Berger, chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group and former National Security Advisor, and a panel discussion including Berger and Rudy deLeon, Senior Vice President for National Security and International Policy, Center for American Progress; Martin Indyk, Vice ...
Syrian Opposition Elects PM for Interim Government
Syria's opposition coalition elected its first prime minister of an interim government on Monday. Ghassan Hitto, a Syrian-born, naturalized American citizen, will be tasked with funneling aid to Syrian rebels and providing an alternative to President Bashar al-Assad's ...
March 19, 2013
Category: Conflict, Elections, Featured, Political transition, Reform, Syria, US foreign policy
Engel Introduces Bill to Arm Syrian Opposition
Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) previewed legislation Sunday to allow President Obama to arm the Syrian opposition. Indicating last month that he would introduce such a bill, Engel wrote in a statement Monday, "We know who they are. And ...
March 19, 2013
Category: Conflict, Featured, Foreign Aid, Legislation, Political transition, Syria, US foreign policy, US politics
POMED Notes: “Obama to the Middle East: Implications and Expectations”
Ahead of President Obama's upcoming trip to Israel and Jordan, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy held a policy forum titled "Obama to the Middle East: Implications and Expectations" on Tuesday, March 18, 2013. It featured Ambassador Dennis Ross, Counselor to the Washington Institute and former National Security Council member under President Obama, Michael Singh, Managing Director at the Washington Institute, and David Makovsky, Director of Project on the ...
March 18, 2013
Category: Diplomacy, Egypt, Human Rights, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Syria, US foreign policy
POMED Notes: “Economic Turmoil in Arab Countries – Can Partners Help?”
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a panel discussion entitled “Economic Turmoil in Arab Countries – Can Partners Help?” The panel featured Marwan Muasher, Vice President of Studies for the Middle East Program at Carnegie, Ibrahim Saif, Senior Associate for the Middle East Center at Carnegie, Jean-Pierre Chauffour, Lead Country Economist for Morocco and Regional Trade Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa at the World Bank, and ...
Weekly Wire – March 18, 2013
POMED’s Weekly Wire for March 18th is now available. This week we highlight the following top stories: Senators Introduce Numerous Amendments on Egypt Aid Yemen Separatists Protest as National Dialogue Begins Obama Nominates New Ambassador to Libya during PM's Visit U.S. Provides Additional $54m in Non-lethal Aid to Syria New POMED Policy Brief: Confront or Conform? Rethinking U.S. Democracy Assistance To continue reading the full Weekly Wire, click here.
Video of the Day: U.S. Amb. Robert Ford Addresses the Syrian People
U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford recently released this address to the Syrian people (in Arabic). Ford has served as the Ambassador to Syria since 2010, and served in-country until he was recalled in October 2011 due to safety threats.
March 18, 2013
Category: Diplomacy, Freedom, Political transition, Syria, US foreign policy, US politics
Reform in Morocco “Real” but “Modest,” Pollock Says
In a recent piece for Al-Monitor, David Pollock outlines two prevalent and opposing views of Morocco’s political transition since the Arab Spring. Some analysts and Moroccan officials point to Morocco’s ability to change while maintaining stability as a possible ...
March 17, 2013
Category: Elections, Featured, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Morocco, Political transition, Reform, Tunisia
Senate Continues Debate on Egypt Aid Amendments
On Thursday, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced SA 117, a modified version of his original amendment on Egypt aid. The amendment specifies that Economic Support Fund appropriations for direct budgetary assistance as well any appropriations for new contracts under ...
Senators Introduce Egypt Aid Amendments
On March 14th, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced amendment SA 44. to H.R. 933, a slightly modified version of his previous amendment SA 27. In addition, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) introduced amendment SA.61 to H.R. 933 which states that ...
POMED Now Accepting Summer 2013 Internship Applications
The Project on Middle East Democracy is now accepting applications for our Summer 2013 internship term, which runs from May-August 2013. We have openings for the following positions: Policy Intern, Civil Society Partnerships Intern, Research Intern, and Egypt Programs Intern. Applicants are free to apply to multiple positions that fit their interests. Please see the descriptions below for each internship and feel free to direct any questions you have to ...
New POMED Op-ed: U.S. Should Urge Jordanian Reforms
Cole Bockenfeld, Advocacy Director at the Project on Middle East Democracy, wrote an op-ed in the Christian Science Monitor discussing the necessity of more meaningful political reform in Jordan and greater U.S. pressure for these deeper changes. Jordan's ...
March 14, 2013
Category: Conflict, Diplomacy, Featured, Foreign Aid, Political transition, Syria, US foreign policy
Retire the Arguments Against Democracy, Diamond Says
Larry Diamond, in a piece for the Wilson Quarterly entitled "Why Wait for Democracy," argues that it is time to retire the notion that non-Western states are not "ready" for democracy. Refuting the policy and intellectual elites' fears and reservations about the uprisings in the Arab world beginning in 2011 - lack of democratic experience, security challenges, fear of Islamic radicalism, to name a few - Diamond links today's apprehensions ...
Rubio Proposes New Conditions for Egypt Aid
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) submitted an amendment to H.R. 933 placing conditions on two forms of U.S. assistance to Egypt unless the country adopts economic reforms and human rights safeguards. The amendment will also begin a comprehensive, long-term reevaluation of ...
March 13, 2013
Category: Civil Society, Congress, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Featured, Foreign Aid, Human Rights, Legislation, NGOs, Political transition, Reform, US foreign policy, US politics