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Autocrats silence dissent at home, get a voice in Washington

By Demdigest on July 26, 2010

Some of Washington’s most prestigious firms are lobbying on behalf of some of the world’s most corrupt and repressive regimes, Joshua Kurlantzick writes in Newsweek.   
Department of Justice data show the number of registrants—forms submitted by people registered to represent foreign countries—grew to 1,900 in the first half of 2009, with an even steeper rise [read full story]

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Clinton defends civil society from ‘critical threat to democracy’

By Demdigest on July 6, 2010

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has used a landmark speech to the Community of Democracies to highlight “the steel vise” with which governments are restricting civil society and announce a fund to help activist groups to combat the growing crackdown.
The speech – described by aides as her most significant address during a four-day tour [read full story]

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Urge for freedom the countervailing force against new authoritarians

By Demdigest on July 6, 2010

Authoritarian regimes have “refined their techniques to stay in power, learning from each other and thinking two steps ahead of democratic forces,” writes The Washington Post’s Fred Hiatt.
“So at decade’s end, the correlation of forces, as the Communists used to say, looks bleak,” he asserts, reflecting on the recent launch of Freedom House’s latest survey [read full story]

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US will promote Arab democracy – and engage autocrats, MEPI head insists

By Michael Allen on March 15, 2010

The United States remains committed to promoting democracy in the Middle East, a senior State Department official insisted today, but the pace and content of reform will be determined by local actors and the specific conditions within Arab states.
“Economic and social development are prerequisites for sustainable democracy,” said Tamara Wittes, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State [read full story]

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Iran: elite fracturing or political theater?

By Michael Allen on August 31, 2009

The dramatic events in Iran following June’s fraudulent election have exposed a fundamental conflict within the ruling elite over the Islamic republic’s future, writes former German foreign minister Joschka Fischer. Does Iran seek openness or isolation, integration or destabilization?
“Like all partial modernizers in authoritarian regimes, Iran’s rulers want an advanced economy, technology, and infrastructure, but [read full story]

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