Middle East Policy

After 9/11, the international order has failed in terms of security when the world super power became under attack followed by many other attacks throughout the world. This incident indicates a new nature of the international dangers and threats exceed the 'state borders' and the related international norms and standards. Furthermore, the 'internal affair,' the extremely important term in the international relations is subject to re-identifying because the internal situation is no longer just an internal concern and, thereby, an internal affair, it becomes an international concern too in the post-9/11 reality. Then, what I call the 'Neo-Internationalism' is sought and called for. This 'Neo-Internationalism' represents a state of international relations in which the democratic interventionism is required and legitimate for the international security and prosperity, and for forming an international order can cope with the international challenges and maint...

Who would protect us? This is the question. It is a matter of fact that the authoritarian governments, which rest on repression and lying (the official only-legitimate propaganda), fear the truth, therefore, they fear even the words and fight the free opinion and expression. The free opinion and expression are essential and effectual prerequisites for change in the Middle East as antidotes to the authoritarianism. The more the freedom of expression exists, the less the political system is authoritarian and vice versa. The freedom of conscience and expression is a real and indispensable foundation of the political reform and progress in the Middle East. The U.S. and EU should support directly the freedom of expression in the Middle East and should pressure the authoritarian governments on that, especially the totalitarian governments. It is truly a shame that mere opinion can drive a human to prison, torture and humiliation. The international community has the responsibility to protect ...

Here is a recent policy watch of the U.S. efforts, stances and statements concerning democracy promotion worldwide, especially in the Middle East: (Source: International Information Programs , U.S. Department of State.) Headlines: Hungary a Model for Iraq, Bush Says in Budapest Terrorist's Death in Iraq Is Victory for Freedom, Bush Declares U.S. Envoy Bolton Pledges Increased Push for U.N. Reforms; Effectiveness of world body to be seen by actions on Darfur, Lebanon, Iran U.N. Hariri Assassination Probe Encouraging, Syria's cooperation still questionable, U.S. Envoy Says U.S. President Arrives in Baghdad for Surprise Trip; Bush Pledges Security, Economic, Diplomatic Support to Iraq House Passes $21.3 Billion Fiscal 2007 Foreign Aid Spending Bill; Representatives reject proposal to cut assistance to Egypt Hungary a Model for Iraq, Bush Says in Budapest Bush commemorates 1956 Hungarian uprising against Soviet tyranny Washington -- Speaking on a hill from which Soviet forces fired...

This is the news section of the current issue of the Arab Reform Bulletin Published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace : Headlines: Syria: Human Rights Activists Detained; National Salvation Front Meets in London. Egypt: Crackdown on Demonstrators; Judicial Law Debated; Wafd Election. Palestine: Debate over Referendum. Lebanon: Debate over Electoral Law. Jordan: Government Approves Anti-Terrorism Law. Iraq: Key Cabinet Posts Filled. Kuwait: Run-Up to Elections. Bahrain: New Press and Association Laws; Run-Up to Elections. Algeria: New Prime Minister. Morocco: Detention of Al Adl wal Ihsan Members. Upcoming Political Events. Syria: Human Rights Activists Detained; National Salvation Front Meets in London In a continuation of the arrests and trial of human rights activists and opposition figures in the past several months, between May 14 and May 23 Syrian authorities detained 12 activists who were among 300 Syrian and Lebanese intellectuals, writers, and human rights advoc...

After the liberation of Iraq and along with the Bush's Forward Strategy of Freedom, the Arab region has been witnessing a new kind of political phenomena concerning the political life, democratic rights and human rights. Some scholars call this political phenomenon the Arab spring. I think that the key point of this phenomenon is the end of stagnancy in the political life, and therefore, the change in the status quo at the political, social and intellectual levels. This status quo is the effect of the political authority, which is mainly backward, ignorant and authoritarian. It intends this status quo and maintains it with stagnancy using the authoritarian violent means to preserve its monopoly of political power whatever the costs are. This stir is indispensable for the political change and democratization in the region, which did not ever experience but authoritarianism. The entire political system in the authoritarian Arab state rests on violence and stagnancy, the absence of an...

The first anniversary of the martyrdom of the prince of martyrs Samir Kassir Dear Samir, Beirut spring misses you and Damascus roses mourn you. Sincerely Yours, Nassim Yaziji

Dedication: to Lebanon and Syria's martyrs Gebran Tuine and Samir Qassir in his first martyrdom anniversary. The forces of the old Middle East, the pre-2003 Middle East, through the totalitarian-terrorist alliance, are fighting to survive. After the consecutive failures in Iraq to restore the totalitarianism as an indispensable guarantee to the Middle East stagnancy, which based on the authoritarianism and the interdependent system of despotic regimes to ensure their sustainability, the pursuit now is to impede the international pro-democracy effort to spread out in the Middle East. I have frequently said that liberating Lebanon belongs to the same sense of the course of action of liberating Iraq. This course of action represents the international "new deal" in the Middle East through the strategic effort to end the cold-war era in the region besides the Soviet legacy there. The success in Lebanon is important as much as the success in Iraq; it is a requisite for the lo...

Here is a recent policy watch of the U.S. efforts, stances and statements concerning democracy promotion worldwide, especially in the Middle East: (Source: International Information Programs , U.S. Department of State.) Headlines: Bush: U.S. Military Committed to Freedom and Liberty Throughout World Security Council Urges Syria To Set Up Better Ties with Lebanon Bush, British Prime Minister Pledge Support for Iraq's Government Zoellick urges Arab countries to stay committed to economic, political reforms U.S. Wants To Help Emerging Democracies "Find Their Own Voices" State's Zoellick urges Egypt to move forward on political reform plans Bush Says New Iraqi Government a "Decisive Break with the Past" Bush Bans Travel to U.S. by Belarusian Dictator, Associates Volker Defends OSCE’s Democracy And Human Rights Work State’s Boucher Discusses U.S. Policy in Central Asia Bush: U.S. Military Committed to Freedom and Liberty Throughout World "And we learned an i...