Middle East Policy

Iraq Report Measures Political, Economic, Security Improvements Defense Department must recalibrate metrics every 90 days Washington - A new 23-page report on Iraq prepared by the Defense Department at the behest of Congress finds that a still virulent, but largely confined, Iraqi insurgency has failed to derail that country's movement toward democracy. The fact that the insurgency has failed so far to stall the political process is an "important indicator" and a key factor to watch, according to Peter Rodman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for international affairs. "The strategic prize in this is the political process," he told reporters during a briefing at the Pentagon on July 21 called to outline the findings of the new report. Rodman said the chronology for political developments in Iraq continues to include the delivery of a draft constitution by August 15, followed by a national referendum on October 15, and then new elections on December 15 for...

OP-ED: Who Is the "Other"? By Wafaa Al-Rasheed Translation provided by Tony Badran ( The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies) Al-Hayat June 25, 2005 During the preparatory meetings for the fifth National Dialogue in Saudi Arabia, it has been decided that the term "kafir" ["infidel, apostate"] will be substituted with "the Other" or "non-Muslim" in all levels of [the country's] Islamic and cultural discourse. The aim is to undercut those who use education and sermons to call for war and hatred against non-Muslims. The statement is a great achievement: only those who have lived in Saudi Arabia can grasp its power and importance. It could indicate a drastic change in the local way of thinking, and a clear-cut stance to counter anyone who might seek to breach this position in the future. Recently, the dangers that many of us have been warning about have been exposed, and today the state is seeking to launch a debate [about tolera...

Jordan's Abdullah Urges Muslims To Unite To Confront Violence (Islamic conference in Amman aimed to unify Muslim groups) By David Shelby Washington File Staff Writer Washington -- It is the duty of all Muslims to communicate the true message of Islam to the world and reject acts of violence and terrorism that contradict the principles of Islam and undermine the interests of the Islamic world, according to Jordan's King Abdullah II. "Primary among our obligations as Muslims is to present to the world the true essence of Islam - the religion of moderation, forgiveness, mercy and rational, scientific dialogue," the king told more than 170 Islamic scholars and clerics gathered in Amman, Jordan, July 4, for the International Islamic Conference. "Islam is not the religion of violence and terrorism, or prejudice and isolation." Participants traveled from 35 countries to take part in three days of discussions about the nature of Islam and its role in the modern ...

Iraqi, American Women Discuss Constitution, Women's Rights Iraqi minister for women's affairs attends women's forum on new constitution By Brittany Sterrett Washington File Staff Writer Washington -- Iraqi women often see themselves as inferior to men, and that is an attitude that needs to change, according to the Iraqi Minister of State for Women's Affairs Azhar Abdul Karim al-Shakly. "How can we convince women and make them think they're not inferior to men?" asked al-Shakly during a July 20 discussion about the Iraqi constitution and women's rights at Washington's Independent Women's Forum. "All the assistance in the world will not help if we don't help ourselves." A delegation from Iraq that included members of Iraq's Constitutional Committee, Iraqi women legal experts and women's rights advocates was also present. A U.S. delegation included State Department officials as well as lawyers and women's rights activi...

The Imagined Islamic Identity: The Dilemma By As-Sayyed Yassin Translation provided by Tony Badran ( The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies ) An-Nahar June 17, 2005 One of the most significant problems facing the modern Arab state is the problem of the imagined Islamic identity. The premise of those who espouse this ideology is, simply put, to recapture a supposed "paradise lost," that is the first era of Islam, and all of its alleged values, customs and directions. This is done by distorting texts, through the media and propaganda, intellectual and moral terrorism against those who disagree, and physical terrorism against the state. The most dangerous phenomenon accompanying this fundamentalist religious wave is the complicity that these fundamentalist groups have created with the modern Arab state and its institutions, including traditional religious organizations, that are attempting to shore up their waning political legitimacy and appease religious crowds. These f...

Is Democracy a Right for Islamists As Well? By Abdel Rahman Al-Rashed Translation provided by Tony Badran ( The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies ) Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat June 22, 2005 At her speech at the American University in Cairo, Condoleezza Rice caused a lot of confusion when she appeared to insist on opening the door for Islamists to gain power. Does Rice mean what she said, or realize its implications? Giving the Islamists power isn't the problem, it's removing them from power democratically that will be impossible, as is the case with all dogmatic ideological movements, be they Islamist or Communist. Now, when they are out of power, Islamists call for peaceful change of power and equal political rights, and give religious sanction to elections. But their literature belies their true intentions. Just look at Iran, where once the Islamists seized power they believed in alternating it only among themselves. How will she [Rice] guarantee the rotation of power, so that...

Iran and Theocratic Rule By Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat 19/06/2005 I don’t really know if any political observer predicted, before the 1979 Revolution, influential role Iran would come to play on the ideological and political levels in the Arab World. No one could have imagined that this rather marginal country, isolated because of its Persian language and the weight of history, would, one day, come to shape events in the Arab region. Yet, over the past thirty years, the influence of Iran has continued to grow. Perhaps it is the images of men of religion in control of all government policies and administering most state institutions such as the police, the army, the treasury, and directing public opinion that wet the appetite of Arab Islamist politicians. It is no longer sufficient, in their opinion, to have a representative in government, or a center for Islamic studies and fatwas (religious edicts). Accordingly, government should be based on the “Islamic Republic” model...

Interview with Maasuma Mubarak, Kuwait's First Woman Minist The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies has launched The Middle East Democracy Digest described as Highlighting leading commentators from the Greater Middle East speaking out on political and economic reform, religious tolerance, and women's and human rights. Thanks to The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies for this product, which will help highlighting some of the Middle Eastern viewpoints, ensuring more communication and understanding of the Middle East in terms of reform issues. Interview with Maasuma Mubarak, Kuwait's First Woman Minist By Hamad Al-Jaser Translation provided by Tony Badran ( The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies ) Al-Hayat June 26, 2005 Dr. Maasuma Mubarak asserted that her appointment as Minister of Planning and Development will not be the end of the campaign for women's rights, adding that there's a lot of bias against women in Kuwaiti law that she hopes to rec...

21st Century Will Be "Liberty's Century," Bush Says White House issues annual Captive Nations Week proclamation The 21st century will be “liberty’s century,” President Bush said July 15 in a proclamation designating July 17-23 as Captive Nations Week. The U.S. Congress in 1959 approved a resolution calling on the president to proclaim the third week in July of each year as Captive Nations Week. In his 2005 proclamation, Bush said, “Building a free and peaceful world is the work of generations, and this work continues.” The president also said work will go on to “help spread liberty and democracy to people who have known fear and oppression. The gains in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine and Georgia have been achieved through the courage, determination and sacrifice of millions of men and women in those countries, with the assistance of the United States and other allies.” Following is the text of the White House announcement: (begin text) THE WHITE HOUSE Office of th...

United States Welcomes Agreement on New Lebanese Cabinet International community stands ready to support new government The United States welcomes the agreement between Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister-designate Fouad Siniora on a list of ministers to fill the 24 cabinet posts in Lebanon’s new government, according to a State Department statement issued July 19. “Through democratic elections and popular movements, the Lebanese people have expressed their desires for sovereignty and a genuine program of political, economic, and institutional reform,” the statement says. Siniora, a former finance minister, was chosen to form a new government following Lebanon’s legislative elections in May and June. These were Lebanon’s first elections free of direct Syrian political influence in three decades. The statement says the United States looks forward to a parliamentary vote of confidence on the proposed cabinet and adds that the international community stands ready to assist...