Middle East Policy

On December 10, I wrote on protecting Arab intellectuals : to Arab liberals, danger is real; fear is legitimate , citing Lebanon particularly in this post. On December 12, a prominent Lebanese journalist and politician, a symbol of the Cedar Revolution, the revolution of Lebanese freedom and independence, Gebran Tueni was assassinated after a long history of struggle against totalitarianism and dictatorship, when the other were silenced, to join his assassinated friend also, Samir Qassir . I have just watched his funeral in an Orthodox church in Beirut and his farewell to his journal and the Lebanese Parliament and to the people of Beirut who elected him a representative. I am heartbroken, although Gebran and Samir freely chose death as brave hearts. Gebran and Samir are alive and absolute free, as Gebran's daughter believes because the freedom does not die so is Gebran Tueni. Gebran, live forever in our hearts, we loved you and we will stay love you forever. You will stay the gui

I have been told that my article "Iraq victory: Middle East salvation" included in a previous post has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer . It is also available online at Philadelphia Inquirer's website here . I kindly ask my dear readers to let me know when they find citations from my articles. It is important to me to know how my methodology is perceived and discussed. This is a research necessity. Best regards, Nassim Yaziji

The newest issue of the Middle East Democracy Digest of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies has included interesting articles. I will quote here one of them, a meaningful article in which the writer calls on the international community to establish measures ensure some protection to Arab liberals. He took into account the changing realities of the international conduct towards promoting the international role to heal the human rights and democratic liberties where deteriorated. He found the Security Council Resolution 1559 a milestone of the realistic deal with the pretext of state sovereignty. Liberating Lebanon through unprecedented international effort is a watershed in the Middle East and international relations also. It represents, as I previously said, an international new deal in the Middle East and it indicates a new course of action by the United States. The international community and the U.S. precisely have yet to pay more attention to the importance and necessit

I said previously that the totalitarianism constitutes one system. The totalitarianism has one nature in many aspects and shapes; it functionally develops a reciprocal structure and unified means under a consistent code of conduct. A comprehensive reading of the current state of the region between the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf will clarify and support this thinking. The totalitarian dictatorships and terrorists are in alliance of convenience. Although they have two different ideologies and agendas, they have mutual basic interest and pursuit is to keep freedom and democracy out of this region. Saddam had known this fact early and began soon after his defeat in the gulf war ΙΙ the Islamization of the state notwithstanding the official totalitarian secular ideology of Ba'ath. And he had a chance of about 12 years to do that without serious pressure – or intention – to end his rule or targeted directly at his regime. Finally, that produced an extraordinary fertile environment t

The U.S. will not abandon Iraq. To me, it means that the U.S. will not abandon the Middle East. Some recent stances and statements in the U.S urging to quit Iraq have shocked me. I find it, and I am sorry for this expression, extremely irresponsible, and definitely harming U.S. interests and the Middle East democratization movement. I definitely look positively at any deliberate prospective troops reduction, but setting a timetable of withdrawal, as U.S. giving up, would blow up the reform movement and the liberal renaissance in the Middle East. Furthermore, that would also blow up the American interests and credibility in the region. Jeopardizing all that for some politics gains is something approaching treason. The Americans must clearly know that this war in Iraq is a requisite for ensuring the 21st century as an American century. The post-cold war chaotic international order is dying because is no more able to tackle world problems. And a new dangers and serious threats endangering

Still the EU has its own agenda and interest, and still the questions of immigration, and recently, terror are the most important and somewhat urgent to the EU. However, the EU has certainly a legitimate concerns and interests in the neighboring region, which is a vital space and has a strategic importance to the EU countries. Obviously, the EU has a shy democratic initiative in the Arab Mediterranean region. That is due to many reasons including the absence of a plan, considering that 10 years of Barcelona process yielded nothing in political reform, and the absence of something like the American political leverage, besides the consistent European pursuit of distancing the EU from the American policies in the region. The terror strikes inside Europe, the change in the post-Iraq Middle East and the decreasing European influence revealed at the latest Euromed summit must be reminders that Europe must revise the course. The freedom and democracy in the Middle East are important foundatio

Here are two articles were included in The Arab Reform Bulletin, November 2005 on reform in Saudi Arabia and Libya: Saudi Arabia: Municipal Councils and Political Reform Jafar M. Al-Shayeb Saudis are still awaiting the inauguration of their partially-elected municipal councils, despite the fact that the last round of elections was held eight months ago. The delay has dampened popular enthusiasm for the councils and raised questions about the Saudi government's seriousness about political reform. It had been hoped that the municipal elections would open the door for wider popular participation and elections to other political bodies. Elections and other opportunities for popular participation existed early on in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, although they were limited to a few regions and posts. Until the early 1960s, municipal councils were fully elected, as were some academic and business posts. In the early 1960s, however, ultraconservative religious leaders suppor

This is the news section of The Arab Reform Bulletin, November 2005 , a product of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , which is almost adopting, as I think, an approach to the Middle East reform rests on political considerations to push an ideological and political line related to the American politics more than the Middle East reform. I hope not. The bulletin has also included some articles. I will post some of them with my review later. Related post Egypt: Parliamentary Elections Begin The first of three rounds of elections for the People's Assembly (the lower house of parliament) began November 9. In preliminary results from the first round of elections as reported by Al Jazeera, 35 out of 164 races have been decided, 66 will go to run-offs, and 63 remain unanounced. The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) won 31 of the 53 races decided so far; Muslim Brothers won three seats and an independent candidate won one. As expected, senior NDP leaders and government min