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Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Cheng Li examines the concept of "intra-Party democracy," which China's leaders have recently characterized as the lifeblood of the Chinese Communist Party, and as crucial to its continued primacy. Li argues that intra-party democracy is important for institutionalizing the new rules and norms of Chinese elite politics, and that it is an experiment which will have profound implications for China's political future.
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Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In October, Kenneth Pollack travelled to Iraq as part of an evaluation team for the Iraq Joint Campaign Plan - the fully integrated political, military, economic and diplomatic approach to be pursued there. During his trip, Pollack witnessed a growing sense of security and normalcy, but also a continued need for U.S. presence to stem the threat of renewed civil war.
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Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 06, 2009, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
As we approach the twentieth anniversary of Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution, countries such as Iran, Russia, China and Cuba are trying to learn how to prevent similar "velvet revolutions" in their own countries. On October 6, the Brookings Institution hosted a discussion on the challenges and opportunities posed by nonviolent civic movements for political change around the world.
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Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In the years since the September 11th attacks, Western policymakers, analysts and academics have debated the best approaches to confronting and ending terrorism. Brookings Fellow Omer Taspinar argues that the global fight against extremist violence must move beyond the "war on terror" to a broader strategy of fighting radicalism with human development - an approach that would address the political, economic and social conditions that foment violent radicalism.
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Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Brookings Doha Visiting Fellow Anouar Boukhars examines recent commentary that the Obama administration is distancing itself from democracy promotion in the Middle East. Boukhars finds that these claims are largely untrue, and points to examples of continued funding political reform as well as why some goals of the Bush administration needed amendment.
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Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 17, 2009, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
Morocco has often been hailed as a model for democratic reform in an otherwise authoritarian region. In order to understand better the progress Morocco has undergone since the 1990s, when it started on the path of democratic reform, the Saban Center’s Patkin Visiting Fellow in Arab Reform, Maâti Monjib, led a policy luncheon discussion regarding the various advances and obstacles associated with Moroccan democratization.
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Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Following the important August 20 elections in Afghanistan, Michael O'Hanlon and Bruce Riedel write that this is likely the final fresh start for the U.S. and NATO. With support for the war falling at home and abroad, they explore how progress should be quantified in Afghanistan and urge patience regarding the mission there.
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Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- August 25, 2009, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
The outcome of Afghanistan's presidential election remains in doubt, but most agree that it doesn't matter who wins as much as how the victory occurs. Brookings hosted a panel of experts, moderated by Martin Indyk, to discuss the outcome of the Afghan election. The panel analyzed the result of the election and examined its impact on the future of the country and the conflict.
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Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak recently visited Washington for the first time since 2004. Tamara Cofman Wittes and Michele Dunne examine how he and President Obama can achieve shared goals for the Middle East. Wittes and Dunn analyze areas in which the relationship could be improved and offer suggestions for strengthening the partnership with both the citizens and government of Egypt.
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Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Jeremy Shapiro argues pundits should focus more on what the elections in Afghanistan say about the international community than what they mean for the country. He cautions that actions by international actors are often seen from the inside as rigging elections to a pre-determined outcome and concludes that if these efforts to build a democracy fail it may help Afghanistan become a terrorist state once again.
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Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Following State Hillary Clinton's visit to Nigeria at the end of her 11-day tour of African nations, Richard Joseph says that Nigeria has a historic opportunity to address its myriad problems. "Nigeria and the United States," Joseph writes, "could initiate a new era of cooperation based on shared commitments to constitutional democracy, the strengthening of open, multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies and laying the foundations for sustainable and equitable growth."
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Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- July 28, 2009, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The Brookings Doha Center hosted a discussion on democracy promotion and key U.S. allies in the Arab world. The panel was addressed by Roula Attar, the resident country director in Jordan for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and Anouar Boukhars, Brookings Doha Center visiting fellow. Hady Amr, director of the Doha Center, moderated the discussion.
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Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In a Saban Center Working Paper, former Todd G. Patkin Visiting Fellow Sameer Jarrah analyzes public freedoms in Jordan and points to the combination of state action and internal deficiencies within civic groups as the reasons for the stalled reform process. Jarrah argues that it is in the security interest of the Jordanian government to enable civic organizations because they can provide a counterbalance to extremist groups and serve as a productive outlet for citizen discontent.
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Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The June 28 military ousting of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya capped weeks of tension brought about by his attempt to amend the constitution to enable reelection. Kevin Casas-Zamora says this coup is a step backward for democracy in Latin America and he urges the United States to both pay close attention to the situation and to show friends and foes in the hemisphere that Washington sides with democracy.
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Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 12, 2009, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
On June 12, the Africa Growth Initiative at Brookings hosted Dr. Constance Freeman, regional director for East and Southern Africa of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in Nairobi who led a roundtable discussion on the recent elections in Kenya.
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Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Though many believe China's drive toward democracy stagnated after the People's Liberation Army put down the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations, Cheng Li argues otherwise. Li notes that while the political system is still constrained by party monopoly on power, lack of an independent judiciary and media censorship, China is making significant progress on the democratic front.
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Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Ted Piccone writes that the future of the Organization of American States (OAS) depends on how it manages the readmission of Cuba to the regional organization. Piccone urges member states not to depart from the organization’s core democratic and human rights principles.
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Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Tamara Cofman Wittes and Andrew Masloski argue that the Obama administration should invest in the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) to advance America’s interests in a more stable, progressive and prosperous Middle East. By examining the record of MEPI, Wittes and Masloski show how it has overcome early deficits to create a small-scale, successful model of “democracy diplomacy” that integrates foreign assistance with foreign policy.
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Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Tamara Cofman Wittes writes that the selection of Egypt for President Obama’s long-awaited speech to the Muslim world was not an easy choice, but it is a significant one. Wittes believes Egypt is a crucible for the challenges facing many Muslim societies and it embodies Washington's central dilemmas in the wake of Bush's Freedom Agenda.
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Wed, 06 May 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 06, 2009, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
On May 6, the Saban Center at Brookings’ Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World was pleased to host Ford Foundation Visiting Fellow Mirette F. Mabrouk to talk about the changing landscape of Arab media, and its effect on Egyptian domestic politics.
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Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Marred by violence and intimidation, recent voting in the Ekiti state of Nigeria ended with Segun Oni of the Peoples Democratic Party emerging as the winner of the rerun governorship polls. Richard Joseph argues that if Nigeria is to establish its democracy on a firm basis, a major non-partisan national movement may be needed.
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Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Key differences persist among the many countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. In the leadup to the fifth Summit of the Americas, Abraham Lowenthal says Obama would do well to remember Ronald Reagan's comment on returning from his first trip to South America as president: "These Latin American countries are all very different from each other."
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Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the Summit of the Americas draws near, Ted Piccone analyzes Obama's debut before the hemisphere’s main gathering of democratically elected leaders and discusses what should come from the meeting. Piccone believes Obama should lead by example by implementing human rights reforms at home and by reminding colleagues they share a responsibility to follow universal democratic standards.
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Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:57:55 GMT
In previewing the fifth Summit of the Americas, Ted Piccone notes that popular support for democracy and good governance is widespread in Latin America and that the United States has an opportunity to fix its approach to democracy assistance.
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Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 01, 2009, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
On April 1, Brookings hosted a panel discussion on the upcoming Summit of the Americas and the recently released book, The Obama Administration and the Americas: Agenda for Change (Brookings Institution Press, 2009), edited by Brookings Nonresident Senior Fellow Abraham F. Lowenthal, Brookings Senior Fellow and Deputy Director of Foreign Policy Theodore J. Piccone and University of Oxford Fellow Laurence Whitehead.
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Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Kevin Casas-Zamora analyzes the election of Mauricio Funes as El Salvador's new president. Casas-Zamora argues Funes faces an uphill battle in preaching moderation, but that the U.S. would do well to welcome his election and offer him tangible support for key social reforms.
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Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 17, 2009, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
On March 17, the Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE) hosted experts Steven Pifer, Anders Aslund and Jonathan Elkind for a discussion of their new Brookings policy paper, Engaging Ukraine in 2009. They also discussed the challenges facing Ukraine and offered recommendations to the Obama administration.
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Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Barack Obama has announced plans to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, while leaving between 35,000 to 50,000 troops through the end of 2011. Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack, who recently returned from Iraq, note the country continues to make tremendous strides even if the war is not over. O'Hanlon and Pollack point to numerous challenges that could strain the situation and worsen conditions, but they argue this could be a final crucial test of our mission to stabilize Iraq enough for U.S. troop withdrawals.
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Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
To the Taiwanese, the swearing-in of the 44th president of the US, Barack Obama, on Jan. 20 was a moment of profound inspiration and deep anxiety. CNAPS visiting fellow Shih-chung Liu examines the concerns of Taiwan regarding the future of their relationship with the U.S. under president Obama.
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Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama may enjoy a transatlantic honeymoon, but U.S.-European differences over Middle East policy—stemming mainly from the war in Iraq—leave deep scars in the relationship that he must now overcome. In a new Saban Center Analysis Paper, Tamara Cofman Wittes and Richard Youngs look beyond this highly charged deterioration in the transatlantic relationship in order to assess the real prospects for cooperation in promoting democracy in the Middle East.
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Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Carlos Pascual analyzes the imprecise science of peace-building and what it means to failed or near-failed states. Pascual outlines the stages of progress needed to increase the chances of sustainable peace and explores ten key steps to meet the challenges of stabilization and reconstruction.
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Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Daniel Byman examines whether the outbreak of an insurgency after the U.S. invasion of Iraq was an avoidable policy failure or whether the structural conditions surrounding the occupation made such an outbreak inevitable.
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Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Apart from the new pressures of the global financial crisis, the countries of Latin America are enjoying a period of economic growth, prosperity, and stable democracies. Yet these countries are also experiencing a great demographic change that will place more demand on their economies and governments. Leonardo Martinez-Diaz explains what these trends will mean for the region.
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Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Ted Piccone outlines several versions of the League of Democracies concept that has reemerged during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. Though it finds support in both conservative and liberal circles, Piccone argues that the current framework will not succeed in today’s political environment. However, Piccone believes democracy promotion should remain a top priority for the next administration, and he offers recommendations for strengthening multilateral approaches.
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Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 20, 2008, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Supporting freedom abroad may be a bipartisan tenet of U.S. foreign policy, but Bush’s approach brought a great deal of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. The question that faces the next President is: should the U.S. promote democracy abroad in the future, and if so, how? On October 20, the Brookings Institution will host a discussion on the future of U.S. democracy promotion featuring a distinguished panel of experts.
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Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 08, 2008, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
On Monday, September 8, Khalil Al-Anani spoke about the role Islamist movements in the Arab world. His research explores the potential benefits of US engagement with Islamist groups and the most productive means by which the US can influence these groups to play a constructive role in political development in their countries.
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Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani outlines the contours of Egypt’s liberal movement. He concludes that most of Egypt’s liberals are unwilling to pay the price of pushing for real reform in the country.
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Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani tackles the question of America’s commitment to democracy promotion, and he questions the strength of that commitment, especially when it comes in conflict with American strategic interests.
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Sat, 16 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani considers the question of the internal practice of democracy among Islamist groups in the Arab world. He concludes that Islamist parties often demonstrate a greater respect for democratic practice than secular and liberal parties.
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Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani writes about the recent coup in Mauritania and about its ramifications for the Arab world. He argues that the country’s recent political history is proof of the need for the broader region to commit to democracy as the best means of achieving political balance and economic prosperity.
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Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:39:44 GMT
Calling the 2008 Olympic Games a wake-up call, Cheng Li says China is at the precipice of new openness and transparency. Change is critical, he adds, if China wants to be a serious global power.
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Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Andy Gomez demonstrates how the role of education in the future of Cuba will be one of the leading factors in transforming the psychological values and attitudes of the population in order to develop a civil society and eventually sustain a democratic state.
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Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Brookings expert Kevin Casas-Zamora writes that Latin American democracies must deal seriously with the mounting casualties of violence across the continent. He believes a comprehensive policy of reform among police forces, and the introduction of modern technology as well as more investment in civil society, can create lasting and sustainable solutions to crime.
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Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Brookings expert Tamara Cofman Wittes writes that the usual division of Islamists into “moderate” and “extremist” categories is less helpful than a threefold classification that suggests a distinct policy approach toward each group.
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Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Tamara Cofman Wittes writes about her recent article in the Journal of Democracy where she outlines three distinct categories of Islamism.
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Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani writes about the legitimacy of Egyptian leadership and living standards in the country. He argues that new leaders can rebuild legitimacy by embracing reform and opening up.
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Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani writes that both Barack Obama and John McCain have not yet made spreading democracy in the Arab world a top priority in their campaigns. Al-Anani discusses the importance of spreading democracy in Arab societies to promote stable, more secure governments.
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Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Khalil Al-Anani discusses the shift from absolute totalitarianism to a liberal autocracy in Egypt since 2005 and what it means for the country's leaders and citizens.
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Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 16, 2008, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
Arab moderates who embrace a future of regional peace and democracy appear to be losing ground in today’s Middle East. On June 16, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted Marwan Muasher, former foreign minister and deputy prime minister of Jordan and Thomas L. Friedman for a discussion of Muasher's new book, The Arab Center: The Promise of Moderation, and how to make a moderate future more possible in the Middle East.
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Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 11, 2008, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
In the context of the recently released Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007 and the Trafficking in Persons Report 2008 by the United States Department of State, the Brookings Doha Center, a Project of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, organized a policy discussion with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Erica Barks-Ruggles, to speak on the subject of human rights in the Gulf.
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Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Ted Piccone and Morton Halperin believe John McCain's proposal to create a League of Democracies is doomed to fail, partly because it revives a Cold War mentality pitting the "good guys against the bad." A better scenario, they argue, would be to reinvigorate the Community of Democracies around issues like economic incentives for developing democracies and confronting terrorism.
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Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 05, 2008, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
On Thursday, June 5, 2008 the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted a roundtable discussion with Ahmed Herzenni, the president of the Royal Advisory Council on Human Rights, and Fatiha Layadi, a member of the Moroccan parliament. The speakers provided insights gleaned from their efforts to advance civil and political rights in Morocco, and debated the next steps in the process of political reform.
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Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
America has failed democratic forces in Pakistan, writes Bruce Riedel. Under a military dictatorship that enabled the growth of al Qaeda, the country now poses the primary danger to America. The next president must go beyond threats and sanctions, Riedel urges, and help Pakistan find peace with its neighbors and itself through democracy.
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Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 02, 2008, 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
On June 2, the Brookings Institution collaborated with TUSIAD (Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association) to host a conference on “America’s Presidential Elections and Implications for U.S.-Turkish Relations”. During the panel discussions, a team of respected American and Turkish analysts considered factors that will determine next November’s elections for a new President of the United States, and how the various outcomes may affect the substance and dynamics of relations between the U.S. and Turkey beginning next January.
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Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In this video clip of a discussion held by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Ivo Daalder explains what he sees as the four purposes of a proposed league (or concert) of democracies.
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Sat, 17 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Despite the lack of attention in Washington, Mark Parris argues Turkey is headed towards crisis. Parris believes that if Turkey's constitutional court decides to close down the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and ban its top leadership, "the loss will not be Turkey's alone."
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Mon, 12 May 2008 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 12, 2008, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
On May 12, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy held a forum to discuss rising oil prices and the affects on the Gulf States. Featured speakers Fareed Mohamedi and Jean-Francois Seznec joined moderator and Brookings Senior Fellow Suzanne Maloney to debate the issues.
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Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Andrew Masloski offers insight into the arrest of an Egyptian woman who created on online group calling for a protest through the social networking Web Site Facebook. He argues that the plan to publicize the protest was very effective and that it has exposed a crack in the Egyptian government's ability to prevent demonstrations.
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Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Pakistan, as the most dangerous country in the world, poses a major challenge for the next U.S. president. Bruce Riedel argues in this new Opportunity 08 paper that the current administration’s policy toward Pakistan has not paid off. The next president, he says, must persuade the Pakistani people that "America supports democracy in their country and can be a long-term and reliable ally."
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Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Wittes dissects the Bush administration’s failure to advance freedom in the Middle East and lays out a better strategy for future efforts to promote democracy.
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Thu, 01 May 2008 16:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 01, 2008, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
The Saban Center for Middle East Policy hosted Tamara Wittes for a discussion of her new book, Freedom’s Unsteady March: America’s Role in Building Arab Democracy. Wittes shows why the Bush administration was right to try to advance freedom in the region but also how it failed. And she lays out a smarter, more realistic long-term policy for democracy promotion in the Middle East.
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Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Ted Piccone discusses whether Latin America is the home of free-market democracy or the bastion of populist autocracy. Piccone argues that it is both, and many things in between. To further understand and deal with these issues, he believes that Washington needs to develop new policies toward the region.
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Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi analyzes Silvio Berlusconi's recent return to power following elections where he won with an overwhelming majority. Bindi argues that the elections will have a lasting impact on Italy's future.
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Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Tamara Cofman Wittes and Isobel Coleman met with business leaders, academics, journalists, and civic activists in Saudi Arabia. Among their key findings are that many Saudis welcomed the emergence of a more open atmosphere, pointing to King Abdullah’s ascension to the throne, dynamism in neighboring Gulf states, and a new “post-post-9/11” environment as key catalysts for the change. Yet, there was frustration at the unpredictability and arbitrariness of the newly expanded social and political space.
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Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:59:25 GMT
The U.S. mission in Iraq has reached the mid-decade mark, while U.S. troops continue to battle Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. Senior Fellow Peter W. Singer says our next president will need a thoughtful plan for improving America’s relationship with the Islamic world.
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Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
In the 21st century, spreading global public understanding of America’s institutions, culture and political values is as important as the work of traditional diplomats, writes William Galston. Galston proposes creating a Cabinet-level agency with the mission to make the case for America as a force for peace, prosperity and political reform.
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Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Across the Muslim world, religious parties and candidates are claiming victory over secular governments with increasing frequency. From Iraq to Egypt to Turkey, Islamic influence is on the rise in politics. Tamara Wittes joins Kojo Nnamdi and guests to explore this trend and examine why these Islamic movements are winning public support.
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Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Bruce Riedel offers that Pakistan's recent elections bring an opportunity to defeat al Qaeda in its home base and help turn a failing state around. He suggests that the United States should embrace the new leadership—even if it is far from perfect—by providing military, diplomatic and economic support for this fledgling democracy.
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Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 13, 2008, 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
The Saban Center for Middle East Policy hosted a luncheon roundtable discussion with Visiting Fellow Dr. Mai Yamani, of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Yamani presented a draft of her forthcoming Middle East Memo entitled “Reform in Saudi Arabia.”
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Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 04, 2008, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
On March 4, Brookings hosted journalist and author Robin Wright for a discussion of her new book, Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East. Wright focused on the pivotal countries and regions of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories and Morocco, drawing on first-hand interviews with many of the region’s key players.
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Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
At a November 26, 2007 Cato Book Forum, Tamara Wittes and Christopher J. Coyne examined the problems with installing democracy.
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Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:03:22 GMT
The promotion of democracy abroad is hugely important, but we must focus on the best way to promote it. Navtej Dhillon says we need to move away from military power as tool of democracy promotion and start examining the use of economic development as our strongest method of building stronger ties between the Middle East and the United States.
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Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT
William Easterly, with co-authors Shanker Satyanath and Daniel Berger, tackle the impact of superpower interventions on democracy, examining the type of effect of the intervention and whether it matters whether the superpower is democratic or authoritarian.
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Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Tamara Wittes and Michael McFaul discuss the Arab world's chance of creating stability by accepting and promoting democratic governments.
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Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Charles Issawi was a leading economic historian of the Middle East and an astute commentator on history, politics, and human nature. In 1956 he published an article on the foundations of democracy and their absence from the Middle East. MESH member Adam Garfinkle offers a half-century retrospective on Issawi’s views. In the comments to this post Tamara Cofman Wittes and other members weigh in.
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Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
In this chapter from Democratic Responses to Terrorism (Routledge, 2007), Ted Piccone writes about democracy promotion as a goal of U.S. foreign policy, with a primary focus on the Islamic world. Piccone addresses and clarifies some assumptions about democracy promotion and offers guidelines for the future.
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Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Taiwan's government has several gaping imperfections that hinder political, economic, and social progress within the country. Richard Bush asserts political reforms, including altering the semi-presidential system, reducing government corruption, and evaluating recent electoral reforms are necessary to ensure stability within the country.
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Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Richard Bush discusses reasons for the failing relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan.
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Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 28, 2007, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
International leaders, including representatives from the United States, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, met in Annapolis to develop a foundation upon which the Israelis and Palestinians can move toward a negotiated peace agreement. Brookings hosted a discussion to assess the talks and address the future of the Middle East peace process. Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian Authority's chief negotiator, participated.
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Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Bilal Y. Saab and Elie D. Al-Chaer look at the similarities between Lebanon's political system and world politics. In this context, they suggest next steps for domestic political players to take the country down the path towards full-fledged democracy.
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Sat, 03 Nov 2007 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 03, 2007, 12:00 PM to 11/5/2007 12:00 PM
Just weeks before a U.S.-sponsored peace meeting on the Middle East in Annapolis, Maryland, the Saban Forum held its fourth annual U.S.-Israel dialogue from November 3-5, 2007, bringing a high-level, bipartisan U.S. delegation to Jerusalem for discussions with their Israeli counterparts on the theme of “War and Peace in the Middle East.”
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Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Omer Taspinar argues that "the real challenge for Turkey will be to maintain a working democracy by keeping the military out of politics."
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Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Steven Heydemann says the “after twenty years, Arab regimes have become proficient at containing and disarming democracy promotion—if not exploiting it for their own purposes.”
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Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Bruce Riedel and Sandy Berger pose the following question to the Bush Administration: “Do we support democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan, or do we back up a failing military dictator?”
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Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Mongolia has emerged as a vibrant—though complicated—democracy which now appears worthy of international attention, investment, and support. Mongolian President N. Enkhbayar’s recent American visit calls attention to the growing closeness in US..-Mongolian relations. Mongolia’s peacekeeping support in Iraq is an important example of this improving relationship.
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Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Stephen Cohen and Moeed Yusuf argue that the ultimate strategic balance in South Asia will likely be determined by Pakistan's relations with India, not its historically strained ties with Afghanistan.
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Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 20, 2007, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
The Crisis in the Middle East Task Force addressed the topic of “Democratization and Reform” in its third session. The discussion focused on democracy promotion in the Middle East given the obstacles to change.
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Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Shibley Telhami argues that America’s effort to spread democracy in the Middle East was doomed to fail from the start, saying “the project was based on contradictions and erroneous assumptions.”
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Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Suzanne Maloney, The National Interest (September-October 2007)
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Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Ivo H. Daalder and James Lindsay, Democracy Journal (Fall 2007)
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Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Tamara Cofman Wittes writes that elections in Morocco are the latest step in a gradual move towards reform under King Mohammed IV. She argues that offering a vote is not enough, and that "he [King Mohammed] will have to strengthen parliament and the mainstream political parties, giving them a real capacity to act on voters' concerns and reducing his own power in the process."
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Sat, 04 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Stephen P. Cohen and Moeed Yusuf, The Globe and Mail (8/4/07)
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Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Interview with Philip H. Gordon, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (8/3/07)
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Mon, 30 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Michael E. O'Hanlon and Kenneth M. Pollack (7/30/07)
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Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Testimony by Stephen P. Cohen before the before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (7/25/07)
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Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT
While the American and Iraqi troops for the so-called surge are nearly all in place, it's far too early to judge the effect. Still, given America's waning patience with the war and the bad circumstances that prevailed in Iraq when the surge began, optimism is hard to come by. Our latest chart of leading indicators, based on American and Iraqi government data and news reports, doesn't brighten the picture much.
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Wed, 11 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT
A critical pillar of success in the war on terrorism is restoring the world's trust in America's word. Fortifying this pillar should be a top priority of the next President, with a special focus on relations with the Muslim world.
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Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The Saban Center for Middle East Policy's Project on Arab Democracy and Development hosted a day-long symposium on January 16, 2007 entitled "Arab Elections: Progress or Peril?" The project is headed by Tamara Cofman Wittes, a Saban Center Fellow and the Brookings Institution's leading expert on U.S. democracy promotion policy in the Middle East.
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Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Three years ago, in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Bush Administration launched what is now known as the Freedom Agenda. In a Saban Center Analysis Paper, Tamara Cofman Wittes assesses what the Bush Administration's Freedom Agenda has accomplished in its first few years, and how well the policy shift it represents has become embedded in the institutions and operation of U.S. foreign policy.
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Sat, 22 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Kenneth M. Pollack, Blueprint Magazine (7/22/06)