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Saturday October 11, 2008

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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioRethinking Hezbollah’s Disarmament

Bilal Y. Saab, Fall 2008, Middle East Policy Council Journal

Bilal Saab provides an examination of the true nature of Hezbollah, which he argues is an essential pre-requisite for sound policy making toward the organization. He recommends a rethinking of the issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament through a proper assessment of the challenge it poses and a thorough understanding of its organic connection with Iran. Read More

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioA Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East

Friday, September 05, 2008
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC

The Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted Senior Fellow Kenneth Pollack for a discussion of his book A Path Out of the Desert: A Grand Strategy for America in the Middle East. In the book, Pollack offers a long-term strategy to improve the political, economic and social problems that underlie the region’s many crises. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioMiddle East’s Economic Paradox

Navtej Dhillon, Jad Chaaban and Tarik Yousef, June 26, 2008, The Brookings Institution

Middle East’s Economic ParadoxAccording to a recent study by the Middle East Youth Initiative, the region loses $25 billion a year due to youth unemployment. Navtej Dhillon, MEYI Director/Fellow, Jad Chaaban, Assistant Professor at American University of Beirut, and Tarik Yousef, Brookings Senior Fellow and Dean of the Dubai School of Government, discuss country statistics and regional policy implications. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWhat Lebanon Needs Now

Hady Amr, June 04, 2008, Middle East Times

Hady Amr writes about the need for Lebanon to create a truly democratic electoral system, free from the legal restrictions that divide the government into religious sects. He believes the current feudal system of government must be eliminated in order for the country to come together as Lebanese rather than sectarian groups. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Changing Nature of State Sponsorship of Terrorism

Daniel L. Byman, May 2008, Saban Center Analysis Paper

The current United States approach to state sponsorship of terrorism is flawed, writes Daniel Byman. He suggests that instead of simply managing a list of state sponsors, Washington needs to recognize the complexity of sponsorship, monitor states using a broad definition of what constitutes state sponsorship, and use diplomatic pressure as well as political and economic penalties when needed. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioLebanon Rivals Agree to Deal

Tamara Cofman Wittes, May 21, 2008, Middle East Strategy at Harvard

Lebanon Rivals Agree to DealTamara Cofman Wittes discusses a new deal announced in Doha between Lebanese factions including Hezbollah.  Wittes believes that this decision should force others in the Middle East to recognize that Hezbollah is a regional actor with ambitions outside of Lebanon.  Read More

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioAmerica and the Middle East: The Role of Public Opinion

Thursday, May 15, 2008
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Doha, Qatar

On May 15, 2008, The Brookings Doha Center (BDC), a project of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, hosted Shibley Telhami for the first in-house BDC policy luncheon. The discussion focused on Dr. Telhami’s latest academic polling on public attitudes in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWhat Ayman al-Zawahri's Words Really Mean for Lebanon and the 'War on Terror'

Bilal Y. Saab and Magnus Ranstorp, May 05, 2008, Al Hayat & The Daily Star

Bilal Saab and Magnus Ranstorp dissect a recent message from Ayman al-Zawahri urging Muslims worldwide to join insurgencies. Regarding Al-Qaeda's view of Lebanon's role, Saab and Ranstorp state that even though societal structure plays against attempts to establish a solid presence, "the reality is that Lebanon has turned into a place where jihadist travelers can quietly meet, train, and plan operations against Israel and the West." Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Future of U.S.-Syrian Relations

Martin S. Indyk, April 24, 2008, Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs

The Future of U.S.-Syrian RelationsIn congressional testimony, Martin Indyk argued that the current policy of isolating Syria has had mixed results. He believes that the next U.S. president should consider a different approach that could foster a more productive relationship allowing mutual goals to be realized in the troubled region. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioU.S. Policy and Syria: Who's Converting Whom?

Peter W. Rodman, April 24, 2008, Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs

U.S. Policy and Syria: Who's Converting Whom?Testifying before the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Peter Rodman argued "the conditions do not exist for an improvement of relations with Syria as long as Syrian policies remain hostile to important interest of ours in the Middle East." He concluded that Syria must change course in relation to Iraq, Lebanon, and Arab-Israeli peace before the U.S. reaches out to the country. Read More

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioThe Lebanon Crisis

Wednesday, March 19, 2008
12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
Washington, DC

The Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted a policy luncheon on March 19, 2008 with Jeffrey Feltman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and, until recently, the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon. Feltman addressed the crisis in Lebanon in the context of his three and a half years experience there. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioShaping Lebanon's Future

Bilal Y. Saab, March 19, 2008, Middle East Memo #12

Lebanon is mired in a long running political crisis and the country has been without a president since November 2007.  Bilal Saab writes that "three years after the withdrawal of Syrian troops, Lebanon has become less, not more stable."  He offers suggestions for the U.S. to reshape its policy towards the country.  Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioIsrael Braces for Hizbullah's Revenge

Bilal Y. Saab, March 17, 2008, Jane's Foreign Report

Bilal Saab investigates the likely responses from Hezbollah in light of the recent killing of Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh.  Read More

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioThe Future of the Middle East

Tuesday, March 04, 2008
10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC

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. Read More

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioLebanon: The Forgotten Crisis

Thursday, January 24, 2008
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Washington, DC

Reuters/Zohra BensemraOften overlooked in the headlines, Lebanon continues to flirt with renewed civil strife that could be devastating to a region that does not need any more.  Bilal Y. Saab joined Nadim Shehadi and David Schenker to discuss this critical and delicate region.  Read More

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